Industry News
Private schools 'face disaster'
Posted on 24th October 2007
The headmaster of top independent school Wellington College has warned the private sector could be "sleep walking" into disaster as a range of threats including "creeping government regulation" hits at their independence.
Anthony Seldon made his comments to the Daily Telegraph, saying the private sector's former pupils dominate the worlds of sport, culture and politics.
He claimed: "Any other country in the world would revere its independent schools and seek to emulate them. Not so Britain."
Dr Seldon said the public view private schools as costly establishments full of privileged children and believes their charity work is only done to pacify the Charity Commission.
However, he argues that is not the case, highlighting the rise in fees is down to rises in staff salaries, that many parents go without to keep their children at independent schools and that the sector currently gives away £300 million in bursaries.
Bernard Trafford, chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, recently said the government should keep its "hands off" the independent sector.
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