Industry News
Private school meets 'public benefit' test
Posted on 24th July 2007
The High School of Dundee was the first independent school to be checked by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
Under new regulations introduced in Scotland introduced last year, private schools can be assessed to see if they meet the "public benefit" requirements.
"We are the first school in the UK to have gone through this process and there will be an interest, but I think it is important to remember that each school is being looked at individually," Mike Duncan, rector of the school, said.
Every year, the school offers a bursary to 15 per cent of its pupils, and has a history of providing bursaries to pupils with financial needs.
The High School of Dundee, founded in 1239, was able to retain its charitable status and tax breaks associated with it, as it managed to show evidence of their public benefit.
Judith Sischy, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, commented: "Like the High School of Dundee, many independent schools are built on a charitable foundation and are keenly aware of their charitable roots. They have a deep and active commitment to public benefit."
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is also considering implementing a similar scheme south of the border.
Some 31,000 children in Scotland are educated in an independent school, which saves some £155 million per year in education costs.