I have just discovered that the fees at one of our local private schools is £16,800 per year. That is more than I thought – clearly, I’m out date.
I try not to exaggerate fee levels when speaking to parents and usually quote what a few years ago was the UK average: £15,191 a year. Clearly that is now far too low. It seems from reputable sources that the up-to-date figure is £20,480. Amazing. I just cannot see how a class of 20 pupils (for example) needs £400,000 a year to operate. None of my business, of course, and I wish them well - but … how can that be? Where on earth is that money going?
Out of interest, that means that our fees this year at IGS are 17.5% of the current national average. Not far off one sixth. You could have 6 children at IGS for the price of one at another typical independent school. And so on …
As I say, it’s none of our business – these are all no doubt great schools and if they choose that fee level, and parents are willing to pay, good luck to everyone involved.
But it’s an awful lot of money …