Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Top head: private schools should not support failing ones

Richard Garner
Monday 21 November 2011 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Private schools should not be expected to "prop up" those failing in the state sector, a leading independent school headteacher warned yesterday.

Dr Helen Wright, president of the Girls' School Association (GSA) and head of top performing St Mary's Calne in Wiltshire, urged ministers to "be careful" about expecting private schools "to bolster academies or to prop up other failing schools".

"Why should our parents – most of whom struggle hard to pay the fees to educate their children – prop up the state system and so effectively pay twice?" she said in her address to the GSA's annual conference in Bristol.

Her comments follow calls by ministers for all private schools to consider sponsoring one of the Government's academies.

"This might curry favour in some quarters," she said, "but who will really benefit if we are forced to provide the teachers and the expertise that should have been provided by successive governments?"

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in