Private school enrolment numbers are “much better than expected” for September, leading figures in the independent sector have said.
The comments come after predictions just a few months ago that hundreds of independent schools could be “bust by Christmas” due to the effects of coronavirus.
It was feared that entire regions of the country would become a “desert” for private education, while financial pressures would overwhelm smaller schools, as some parents refused to pay fees and governors wrestled with how much discount should be given for pupils learning at home.
However, schools are now experiencing a “new wave of enthusiasm” from prospective parents, some of whom were impressed by the provision on offer in private schools when UK schools closed, say independent sector leaders.
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Christopher King, chief executive of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools (Iaps), said he had been “pleasantly surprised” by interest in the sector.
“I think heads, schools, myself have been really quite pleasantly surprised by the combination of the resilience that schools have shown and the new wave of enthusiasm from prospective parents for sending their children there,” he said.
“At the beginning of lockdown, there was quite a lot of gloom over the sector…I’m now getting information about schools that are wanting to do face-to-face tours again and they are going to continue with their virtual tours. Things have lifted up quite considerably.”
He added: “It would be wrong of me not to suggest that there’s a degree of apprehension about what the future will be, and if schools had to close for an extended period then there really would be very serious concerns.
“But that’s why everybody’s working hard to make sure they’ve got their procedures in place. So apprehension, but actually I think gathering momentum [in the sector].”
Barnaby Lenon, chair of the Independent Schools Council, said: “It’s looking pretty good. Numbers are much better than you might have expected.”
But he added: “Of course what we don’t yet know about is whether there’s going to be a severe economic recession once furloughing ends in October.”
In May, Tes reported that senior sources in the sector had warned 30 per cent of independent schools could close because of the pandemic.
Mr Lenon said there were still unknowns regarding the sector’s future, including how many overseas students would return to boarding schools.
“But clearly it’s a lot better than it was in May,” he said.
