What is ISC?

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is the umbrella body representing 1,280 independent schools educating more than 500,000 children in the UK and Ireland. ISC schools include the famous name boarding schools, though the majority of ISC schools are day schools which are not widely known beyond their local communities. The great majority of children in UK independent schools are in ISC schools: ISC therefore speaks for the sector as a whole. ISC is strictly independent of all political parties and acts in the interests of all children.

ISC was first established (as the Independent Schools Joint Council) in 1974 by the major governors', heads' and bursars' associations of independent schools. Reconstituted in 1998 as ISC, it underwent a major review in 2002 as a result of which its core functions were redefined.

Today, ISC engages with complex and politically sensitive issues, including child welfare; data protection; examination standards; university admissions; charity law and competition law. ISC represents the sector on these issues to Government and to the Media, and advises its member schools. Its research staff ensure that a secure and comprehensive evidence base is available for all its activities and its communications department is responsible for relations with national, regional and international media. ISC issues regular guidance and information to member schools on a wide variety of political, legal, educational and practical issues.

ISC also takes responsibility for a variety of functions required equally by all member schools and associations, most notably inspection and the induction and recruitment of teaching staff.

ISC provides and communicates essential information to its member schools in a variety of ways including through the ISC Daily News Summary, a daily email service summarising major education news stories; the ISC Bulletin, produced two or three times a year; a website, www.isc.co.uk; and a number of surveys, publications and research reports on subjects of importance to the education community. The ISC Annual Conference attracts hundreds of heads, bursars, governors and other education professionals from ISC schools each year.