Independent Schools in the UK
Great Britain is internationally known for its many public boarding schools. The British understanding of the term public school is not to be confused with the US-American and Canadian understanding of it. In the UK a public school is an independent private school, whereas it is a state school in the USA and Canada.
615,000 British children (7% of all British pupils) are being educated in 2,500 independent schools.
An independent school is not funded through national taxation. Private sources such as tuition fee, gifts and charity ensure the funding of public schools. This also means that they do not have to stick to the standard of state schools for recieving funding from the government and can set up their own standards and rules.
615,000 British children (7% of all British pupils) are being educated in 2,500 independent schools.
An independent school is not funded through national taxation. Private sources such as tuition fee, gifts and charity ensure the funding of public schools. This also means that they do not have to stick to the standard of state schools for recieving funding from the government and can set up their own standards and rules.
Many independent schools are fully or partial boarding schools. Although more and more independent schools have become day schools. State boarding schools are still very rare throughout the UK.
Independent schools can select their pupils freely as long as it does not discriminate them. Pupils are usually selected by financial and academic criteria although certain abilites might be given credit for, such as sports, music. Independent religious schools might require the child to be of that religion. Family connections are not as important anymore unless the child's siblings go to the same school.
Independent schools can select their pupils freely as long as it does not discriminate them. Pupils are usually selected by financial and academic criteria although certain abilites might be given credit for, such as sports, music. Independent religious schools might require the child to be of that religion. Family connections are not as important anymore unless the child's siblings go to the same school.
Photo taken from: stock.xchng, photographer: Michal Zacharzewski
Photo taken from: stock.xchng, photographer: Arjun Kartha
The average school fees for boarding schools is 23,000 Pounds per year, 12,000 for day schools with additional costs for uniforms, euquipment and extra-curricular activities.
To be admitted to an independent school pupils usually have to sit the Common Entrance Examination between the age of 11 and 13. Scholarships are given out to intelligent children whose parents cannot afford an expensive private education.
To be admitted to an independent school pupils usually have to sit the Common Entrance Examination between the age of 11 and 13. Scholarships are given out to intelligent children whose parents cannot afford an expensive private education.
Public schools can afford more teaching staff than state schools. They have longer teaching hours, shorter terms, give more homework and are able to offer more extra-curricular activities, such as sports. Traditional subjects like Maths, Science and Modern Foreign Languages are emphasised. Independent schools usually teach a broader curriculum as state schools because they do not have to stick to the National Curriculum. Pastoral care also plays an important role in boarding school education because the school is responsible for the children all day every day. As well, public schools tend to teach their own ethos, manners, social rules and accents. Therefore, they are also able to set up their own discipline rules. The major reason for the exclusion of pupils is drug-taking. Often former pupils send their own children to their old school so that sometimes generations of families attend the same independent school.
Private schools are academically spoken four times more successfull than state schools.
Private schools are academically spoken four times more successfull than state schools.
