UK schools income from abroad, such as overseas campuses and distance learning, has more than doubled in seven years, new figures released by the Department for Education show.

The 112 per cent increase is the largest in the whole education sector - compared to higher education (80 per cent ) further education (13 per cent) and English language training ( 48 per cent), the data says.

Independent schools also shine in the tables for their 55 per cent increase in total education related exports.

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Earlier this year figures showed that the number of overseas campuses run by British private schools has risen by almost a quarter in the space of a year.