Diversity
There are over 1,300 ISC schools with around 500,000 pupils bringing great diversity to the independent schools sector.
Diversity of school type
Schools within ISC membership include single-sex schools, preparatory (prep) schools, those with specialisms in music, drama or art, schools that cater for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), those that nurture sporting talent, highly academic schools, and boarding schools
Not all ISC schools are the larger well known independent schools, with many schools best known only in their local communities.
Nearly half of ISC schools are junior schools where all pupils are in Year 8 and below and some schools are small: half of schools have fewer than 300 pupils.
87% of ISC pupils are day pupils, but there are 473 schools that offer the opportunity to board.
Diversity in schools enables pupils to learn as much from each other as they do from teachers
Special educational needs and disabilities
There are also specialist schools which offer the very best provision for children with special needs.
These schools are often a resource relied upon by local authorities as specialist centres to which they can send children with special educational needs.
84,293 pupils at our schools have special educational needs.
72,803 pupils are identified with specific learning difficulties and 3,670 pupils have statements of SEND or Educational Health and Care (EHC) Plans.
Further information about SEND.
84,000 pupils have special educational needs