More parents back independents
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.A RECORD number of parents would send their children to an independent school if they could afford it, according to a poll published yesterday.
Even among Labour voters, support is growing for fee-paying schools and backing for state subsidies to help children from low-income families attend them. Around 55 per cent of parents questioned in the Mori poll said they would prefer private education, up 4 per cent on last year. The poll of 1,886 adults commissioned by the Independent Schools Information Service (Isis) directed questions at parents and the general public. It revealed that 63 per cent of the public supported the use of government funds to educate children in independent schools, up from 59 per cent in 1997.
The Government has abolished the assisted-places scheme, which subsidised independent school places for bright pupils, and is using the money to reduce class sizes. Last year, in a similar poll, 47 per cent thought standards in state schools were lower than in independent schools. This year, that has risen to 49 per cent.
Among Labour-voting parents, the proportion who would like to use private schools is 51 per cent - up from 47 per cent last year - compared with 40 per cent who would not. There are 2,400 independent schools in the UK and Ireland educating 590,000 children, about 7 per cent of the school population. Fees at independent schools range from pounds 600 for the youngest pupils to pounds 4,600 for a term. Mori's survey also found that smaller classes, better life chances, more teacher support and better discipline were reasons why parents would choose independent schools.
David Woodhead, national Isis director, said: "These findings show that, in spite of Labour's abolition of the assisted-places scheme, most people continue to believe that independent schools' high standards should be available to children regardless of their financial circumstances and the Government should support them."
A spokesman for the Local Government Association said that state school standards compared very favourably with independent schools. "Some of Britain's best brains ... were educated at state schools."
John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, said polls of parents with children in state schools showed a high satisfaction rate.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments