State schools swamped as recession hits richer families

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Demand for places at state schools has suddenly soared as people seek to save fees of £10,000 or more per child.

It has caused the spending watchdog the Audit Commission to put pressure on education authorities to cope with demand.

In London, a third said they were having to find places for people leaving independent schools, compared with a tenth in the rest of the country. About four out of 10 councils were preparing for the problem to get worse.

"This recession started in the financial sector and has affected many higher income households," said the report.

About 15 per cent of London schoolchildren attend independent schools - twice the rate of the rest of the country.

Fees start at about £8,000 a year for a child at a junior day school to £12,000 a year at a secondary day school and have risen by six per cent recently.

Half the pupils at grammar schools had private tutors to help them pass the entrance exam, and 81 per cent were tutored by their parents, a survey finds. Most who hired the tutors earned far more than the average income. The GfK NOP study comes as it emerged 10 or more children compete for each place.