Independent senior schools should “seriously consider” mergers with prep schools to maintain the viability of the sector, a head has said.
Headteachers at a Westminster Education Forum conference this morning heard about some of the financial challenges that the independent sector is facing.
Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, highlighted the increasing cost of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme for private schools and the “cost-of-living rises both for schools and for parents who pay fees”.
But, speaking about ways to manage these challenges, Neil Smith, head at Cheadle Hulme School in Greater Manchester, said some difficulties could be seen as an “opportunity”.
“There is surely an opportunity here for the larger schools to either collaborate on sharing curriculum, joint teaching...and there might be the opportunity to progress with mergers with other schools,” he said, during a presentation at the conference.
He said that this had already been seen in the state sector with the growth of academy trusts.
And Mr Smith added: “We know also that a small number of senior schools have merged in various ways with prep schools. This is something that I think a larger number of schools should really seriously consider to maintain the viability of the sector as a whole.
“Quite simply, we cannot afford for the smaller schools, particularly prep schools, to go out of business. If they do, that could potentially deprive the senior school sector of a large number of parents. [Parents who] have no experience with independent education might not therefore think it’s a natural course for their children.
“We also know that our colleagues in the maintained sector are also facing rising energy costs, rising issues around wages.
“So surely here there’s an opportunity for independent schools to talk to their colleagues in state schools, and to explore whether there are opportunities for much more fundamental, embedded and long-lasting partnerships between state and independent.”
‘Barriers’ to private school recruitment
Speaking at the conference, Ms Robinson also said that it would boost private school recruitment if independent schools featured on the Department for Education’s Get into Teaching website.
Ms Robinson said there were a “couple of barriers” to recruitment and retention in the sector, adding: “Independent schools are not included in the DfE website Get into Teaching, and it would be really helpful if they were. I think everyone is experiencing difficulty with recruitment.”
She said that it was “not often understood” by those doing teacher training that they could train to become a teacher or complete their initial teacher training year at an independent school, and that independent schools “really welcome trainees”.
“I think we need to promote jobs in our sector a little bit more warmly and positively, and then support teacher training and get the message out there that we’re very, very welcoming of supporting that,” she added.
The Get into Teaching website is run by the government and offers support to those looking to become a teacher, but does not offer specific support for those looking to work in independent schools.
