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Taxpayers may be wondering why Britain's 2,500 independent schools deserve a tax break worth £100 million each year.
Why should such schools, supposedly for the super-wealthy, be given charitable status with its attractive tax benefits?
That, presumably, is partly the logic behind the Charity Commission's threat this week to remove the charitable status of two prep schools which, it says, do not offer enough bursaries to students from poor backgrounds.
Our independent schools do deserve their status though, first of all because they are world-beaters: true centres of excellence.
We should be learning from them, not penalising them. The big names of British education - Westminster, Eton, Harrow and (my old school) St Paul's, in Barnes, are famous worldwide for their high standards and expertise.
In many cases, they were set up hundreds of years ago with the sole aim of educating children from poorer backgrounds.
And though many fee-paying parents today are well-off, most of the public schools still cater for children from a wide variety of backgrounds.
They do this through the bursaries or scholarships for poorer pupils every year. This can amount to 100 per cent of a child's fees.
Independent schools have, in effect, taken over the hugely successful Assisted Places Scheme Labour narrow-mindedly abolished in 1997.
Recently I taught at North London Collegiate, one of London's leading independents, where there are plenty of pupils whose parents are not wealthy.
In schools like these, parents struggle to pay the fees, because they believe the goal of a first-class education is one worth making massive sacrifices for.
If independent schools lose their charitable status, fees will have to be put up still further.
The end result, ironically, will be to make independent schools really the preserve of the super-rich - closing access completely to the hard-pressed middle classes (most of whom, opinion polls suggest, would like to educate their children privately if they could).
But it's not only through bursaries that independent schools benefit the wider public. Most share their superb facilities with local communities.
Many of those gleaming new sports-halls, swimming pools and Astroturf pitches are already open to local state schools.
Use of swimming pools is a prime example: I currently teach at Radley College, Abingdon, where several local primaries use the pool regularly. This is the rule, rather than the exception.
Not only do they share facilities; independent schools also share their expertise. This may come in the form of teachers helping out with Latin classes in comprehensives, ensuring that Classics is kept alive there.
It can also be seen in the sports sessions many schools run for local children. Coaching help with cricket - a sport being allowed to wither in the state sector - is a case in point.
Without the input of the independents, the outlook for teenagers keen on team sports such as cricket, hockey and rugby would be far bleaker.
In addition, private schools strong on sport, like Millfield, Somerset, offer bursaries to young sportsmen - such as Simon Jones, star of the 2005 Ashes series.
Independent schools also look after hundreds of historic buildings - most open to the public. Schools such as Westminster, located in historic Dean's Yard, preserve important buildings for future generations.
It seems typical of today's educational climate that centres of excellence that have stood the test of time should be criticised.
Instead, we should celebrate the success of our independent schools - and make sure they're with us for years to come, by preserving their charitable status.
Reader views (9)
Educationalist - not sure where you had your education, but I was taught money doesn't grow on trees. If privately educated children move back into the state sector someone is going to have to pay - and I'm pretty sure that their parents are not going to continue paying twice. To put it simply a 7% rise in state pupils will require a 7% increase in government funding - are you happy to pay the higher taxes, because if not then you are benefiting from parents paying for private education.
- Andy Davids, London, 22/07/2009 11:23
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R Roebuck, Acton England - Obviously you aren't aware that the primary purpose of being a 'charity' is not having to charge and pay over VAT to HMRC. You obviously aren't aware that personal health insurance is exempt from VAT. Seems they operate on the same playing field then.
- Andy Davids, London, 22/07/2009 10:49
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The main reason to extend the charitable status for private schools is that the parents who send their children to private schools pay for their children's education twice. First they pay taxes so that the government can continue to provide the politically correct mediocre education stifled by socialist left wing teachers unions. Second they pay the actual fees to the private schools. These children (those who attend private schools) are entitled to funding from the state for their education, but choose not to take it, releasing an enormous amount of money to be further spent on the politically correct nonsense taught in state schools. THE STATE DOES NOT SUBSIDISE THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS SUBSIDISE THE STATE.
Therefore, it is just petty vindictiveness and meanness by the socialist / communists (who are really good at it) to make it as difficult for the parents as possible.
- Guy, New York, 22/07/2009 09:49
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The fact is that by parents paying for their children's education they are already subsidising state education. If all these children moved to the the state system it would require a massive introduction of money to cater for the additional resources which would come from where?
Private education should be encouraged as it benefits all children in one way or another.
- Andy Davids, London, 22/07/2009 09:49
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Imagine if those who paid for Private Healthcare not only had better facilities but were also guaranteed better results than those using the NHS. As those who opt for private health care are saving the Taxpayer money should Private Clinics get Charitable Status? I think that some people have no idea of what charity actually means.
- R Roebuck, Acton England, 22/07/2009 09:49
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Andy - I am curious- how do you justify your breathtaking statment: "Private education should be encouraged as it benefits all children in one way or another."
Please list some of those 'benefits to all children'...from the 7% educated in private schools.
- Educationalist, Essex, 22/07/2009 09:49
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This article is long on anecdotes and short on facts. Are all 'independent' schools worthy of charitable status? Should a school which offers no bursaries or a tiny percentage be treated the same as one which gives bursaries to half its pupils ? How much is charitable status worth to a school ?
Why should the 'ordinary' taxpayer subsidise people who chose to buy a perceived advantage?
What would you like us to learn from private schools ? Maybe that cash is king and by spending more per pupil and academically selecting those pupils you can 'achieve' a disproportionate share of university places?
If private education is such a success why aren't there more private universities like Buckingham?
- Chris, London, 22/07/2009 09:49
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The vast majority of parents also want a 'first-class' education for their children too; but most can just about afford the roof over their heads/bills so have to trust in the State system.
My friends who send their kids to private schools do so with for reason only- they want their kids to have superior chances in life to the majority and/or they are snobs. Only 7% of kids are educated at private schools, 93% at state- so improve the latter for the good of us ALL. Private schools still have have a strangehold on Oxbridge/Russell group universities as well as the professions-not acceptable in this day & age.
- Educationalist, Essex, 22/07/2009 09:49
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The message that I take from your article is that if more money is spent per pupil then good results are guaranteed. Therefore by spending much less on pupils from State Schools we are missing out on their potential. This would suggest that higher taxes on the rich and successful could make a real difference to David Cameron's Broken Society. Bring every school up to Public School standard by cutting class sizes and making the schools residential and the UK will be changed for the better.
- R Race, Acton England, 22/07/2009 09:49
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