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A student on the way to lessons at Harrow school.
A student on the way to lessons at Harrow school. Photograph: wronaphoto.com/Alamy
A student on the way to lessons at Harrow school. Photograph: wronaphoto.com/Alamy

Private school bursaries 'still too scarce' to tackle inequality

This article is more than 3 years old

UCL study of admissions shows financial support for poorer pupils has a limited impact, despite claims to the contrary

Bursaries for poorer children to attend independent schools have been far too scarce to significantly open up access to the institutions, according to new research warning of their impact on social mobility.

A study of private school admissions found that the bursaries could not “account for more than a minor share of the participation” of families with lower incomes.

The findings challenge the idea that such schemes have made a major dent in the exclusivity of private schools. Bursary programmes have often been cited in response to criticisms that high fees continue to make the schools the preserve of the rich.

Bursaries and grants “are relatively low in value and distributed to only one in five of families” outside the top 10% richest families, according to the research by University College London’s institute of education.

The team also found a link between middle- and lower-income families with children in private education and housing wealth, suggesting booming house prices have helped them get access to private schooling despite higher fees.

“Though income progressive and related to need, bursaries and grants are relatively low in value and distributed to only one in five of families outside the top decile; they cannot, therefore, account for more than a minor share of the participation of these non-income-rich families,” the team concluded. “However, among homeowners, non-rich families with privately educated children have much greater housing wealth than families with children in state schools.

“Internally driven reform focuses mainly on an expansion of means-tested bursaries. Our analysis supports that hitherto bursaries have been income-progressive, though too small and scarce to affect overall exclusivity substantially. Means-tested bursaries would need to expand considerably in reach and scale, and the selection criteria should include a strong focus on family wealth, not just income. Whether such internal-driven change is feasible remains uncertain.”

The research said Britain remained “distinctive” in the significant social and economic divide between private and state school pupils, describing it as “among the highest in the developed world”. While about 9% of adults have been to an independent school, private schooling remained “a significant pathway through which some families obtain long-term advantages for their children”.

The proportion of pupils helped with financial support has not significantly increased, despite the costs of private schooling rising considerably. By 2018, the average annual basic fee was £14,280 for day schools and £33,684 for boarding schools - a 60% real-terms increase from 2000 and three times the 1980 fees.

The researchers studied the period since 1997. They found that throughout the period, around 15 out of every 100 pupils received direct financial support. The value of financial support was around £4,900 in 2011–2018, little changed from earlier periods and “thus accounting for a smaller fraction of the fees: 35% compared with 57% in the first period”. The paper concludes: “The data could not conclusively support claims that the private school sector has widened access for students from low-income families through more generous financial support.”

The Independent Schools Council, which represents more than 1,300 independent schools in the UK, said the total value of means-tested bursaries and scholarships among its members had increased by more than £175m since 2011 and was now £440m. It said average means-tested assistance was actually £9,919 per year.

Julie Robinson, its chief executive, said: “Independent schools are keen to be a part of the conversation as to how we can work together to improve education for all children as well as widen access to learning opportunities. The sector is committed to expanding means-tested bursaries in reach and scale as recommended in this report and schools are doing what they can despite significant external financial challenges, particularly pressures caused by the pandemic. The sector has also put forward a scheme, which remains a proposal it is willing to develop, to create up to 10,000 free places in independent schools, every year, for families who would not be able to afford fees.”

More on this story

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