14% of British population attended independent school, survey finds

11 December 2009

A survey of British adults for the Independent Schools Council (ISC) has found that twice as many adults have experienced an independent education than previously thought. Of the 1,001 respondents, 14% said that they had attended an independent school for at least part of their education. This is twice that of the oft-cited figure of 7% representing the proportion of school children who currently attend independent schools.

Speaking today, ISC Chief Executive, David Lyscom, commented:

“We continually hear claims that independent schools are accessible to only a small, privileged minority. It is time for this myth to be dispelled. The 14% of British adults - some 7 million people – who have experienced an independent education at some point in their lives are not an insignificant minority and should not be written off as such. The positive effects of the quality education provided by independent schools reverberate throughout our economy and society. The contribution they make is considerable and should be recognised.”

ISC’s Head of Research, Rudolf Eliott Lockhart, added:

“These findings show that the boundary between the independent and maintained sectors is much more porous than has traditionally been thought: pupils move between the two sectors in significant numbers.  This ties in with previous work showing that the proportion of pupils at independent schools is not the same at all ages, rather, it increases as you consider older year groups.  It follows that, over the course of their school career, pupils are more likely to join the independent sector than leave it.”

Notes to editors:

ISC Mission Statement
The Independent Schools Council (ISC): working with its members to promote and preserve the quality, diversity and excellence of UK independent education both at home and abroad.

Additional information
ISC represents the eight leading independent schools associations in the UK, collectively educating more than 500,000 children in 1,280 schools in the UK and select British schools overseas. In total, there are around 2,600 independent schools in the UK.

British Market Research Bureau
The survey was conducted by the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB), Britain’s longest established market research company. BMRB surveyed 1,001 adults (aged 16 and above) in Great Britain (so excluding Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands). The survey was conducted over the phone. The question was worded: "Did you attend an independent school in the UK for any part of your school education?”, to which 14% replied: yes.
For further information on BMRB, click on www.bmrb.co.uk.

Press queries
Alexandra Caish
Telephone: (office) 020 7766 7060 (mobile) 07825 806017
Fax: 020 7766 7071
email: alex.caish@isc.co.uk
www.isc.co.uk

Read our blog 'How much of the population actually went to independent schools: 7% or 14%?'