7th December 2011 9:00
By Blue Tutors
Private schools are increasing their fees cutting costs as the economic climate affects fee-paying schools’ ability to compete with free schools in their area. Reported on the BBC, more than a quarter of the schools surveyed have increased their fees by more than 2%, with 1 in 10 increasing fees by 4%. At the time, half of the teachers questioned said that they expected reduced spending by their schools this year.
On the face of it, pupil numbers don’t appear to have changed dramatically, with roughly a third of schools saying there had been a decrease, a third saying there had been no change, and a third saying that numbers had increased. However, one headteacher said that the school had recruited fewer students from the UK, but had more applications from Nigeria. Another teacher said that they were aware that fewer parents are keen to commit to £10,000 plus a year in school fees, and are looking at viable alternatives, like good grammar schools and private tuition.
Teachers are not safe from the economic climate either, with many reporting below inflation pay rises, or no rise at all. Added to this, to cut costs, many teachers are being asked to work longer hours and take on more responsibilities. Some teachers’ comments suggested an acceptance of this, given the economic downturn. However, many teaching unions have criticised the findings, saying that private schools must not exploit their teachers simply because money is tight.