The cost of private schooling has increased by 25% since 2012, with parents now having to find on
average around £14,200 per year in day fees for each child. However there can be significant
variation between the fees of different schools and this can depend on factors such as region,
academic performance and prestige.
For example, boarding for one year at Eton College, one of the world’s most famous
independent schools which counts many prime ministers and royalty among its alumni, currently
costs £42,501 for a single child. However, assuming school fees follow the current trend of
increasing 4% year on year, parents of a child born today could easily be looking at fees in excess of
£60,000 by the time that child reaches senior education!
With that said, prestige is not necessarily an important factor for all parents making the decisions on
private schooling. Many may be more interested in simply finding a great school with an ethos which
reflects their own and a culture more in keeping with that of their family and friends.
Luckily, while any form of independent schooling represents a significant financial commitment for
most, a less well-known school may well offer a first rate education without the astronomical cost.
The Manchester Grammar School, for example, achieved an excellent A-A* rating of 91% in the most
recently published exam data, while day fees there are actually below the national average at
£12,930 per year. Similarly, King Edward VI High School for Girls, which performed slightly better
than Manchester Grammar School with a 93% A-A*rating also offers competitive days fees of
£13,338 per year.
This relative affordability reflects a broader trend of variation in school fees across different parts of
the country, with schools in London and the south of England generally being more expensive than
those further north.
Regardless of any issues around prestige and location, the question for many parents is likely to be
whether or not they can afford private education at all. According to some estimates, the average
household income needed for a family looking to send two children to private school is around
£150,000 per year. However, while this earning-power seems to preclude the vast majority of
families, with some research on the fees structures of individual schools there may be ways to
reduce the overall cost.
Some schools offer a range of discounts and awards to make their fees more affordable. Remissions,
such as discounts for extra siblings, are applied automatically and can make a huge difference –
especially if they continue for the duration of the younger siblings’ time at school. Some of the most
generous of these can range up to an 85% reduction in fees for fourth and subsequent children, so
are worth exploring!
Awards such as a bursary or a scholarship are awarded at the school’s discretion based on factors
such as the family’s financial situation in the case of the former and the ability of the prospective
pupil. Where these awards are available, schools often publish details of the criteria as well as the
application process. The Independent Schools Council also provides further guidance and
information on these.
Before you start your school planning journey, we recommend using our free tool to compare the
fees data of UK private schools. School Fees Checker is the only free-to-use tool of its kind and
collates the most detailed and up-to-date day and boarding fees available, as well as applying any
automatic sibling discounts published by each school. You can also apply a speculative reduction to
see how a scholarship or bursary awarded to one child might impact the fees overall.
Of course this won’t tell you the best educational environment to meet the needs of your child.
However it will give you a free and very detailed idea of the financial commitment required at each
school and the steps you may need to take to plan for your child’s education in the future.
Happy planning!
