The Independent Schools Council is a politically independent, not-for-profit organisation representing 1,270 independent schools educating more than 500,000 children. It exists to promote choice, diversity and excellence in education, developing talent at all levels of ability and from all backgrounds.

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Bursaries & Scholarships

159,859 pupils at ISC schools (31.2%) received help with their fees in 2008. The majority of these pupils - 125,168 (or 24.46% of all pupils) - received scholarships or bursaries from their school. The value of this assistance was over £350 million.

The increasing number of children receiving help with fees from schools is a trend that began in the recession of the early 1990s as more families needed bursaries to enable pupils at crucial examination stages to remain at the school. It has been boosted in recent years as schools have provided more financial help to compensate for the loss of Government Assisted Places. Since numbers on assisted places reached their zenith of 40,331 in 1998, the number of pupils helped by schools has increased by 36,145, almost making up the difference.