Industry News
Private schools 'not just for the rich'
Posted on 18th January 2008
Independent schools are no longer the preserve of the rich, according to the master of Wellington College.
Dr Anthony Seldon told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight that the public image of private schools as enclaves of children from affluent families is in inaccurate.
Very few parents who choose to have their offspring privately educated find it easy to afford the fees, he continued.
"The great majority, in my experience, struggle to find the fees, and [think] that the schools are very rich," explained Dr Seldon.
However, that is also untrue, he continued, as many private schools operate on tight margins and could find it difficult to deal with the impact of an economic recession.
Dr Seldon's comments came as the Charity Commission published new guidelines that mean independent schools with charitable status will have to account for what they do for the public benefit.
Some commentators have suggested that could mean private schools will have to provide more bursaries, which Dr Seldon warned many are not in a position to afford to do.