#independenteducation

Over the last few weeks, much has been written about independent school fees and by extension, independent school pupils and parents. I am always careful about not engaging with party politics; however, I do feel that many of the comments do not reflect Bablake and our community.

Our intake is not one that would be considered privileged or that all pupils come from rich backgrounds. One of the strengths of our community, and a cause of celebration, is the mixture of backgrounds that are represented. In fact, our pupils come from a far greater mix of households than most state schools. Around 30% of all our pupils have financial support to attend through bursaries and scholarships and many more will have help with fees from grandparents and other family members. What we all have in common is a shared belief in the importance of education. When we surveyed our parents, 50% had a two-income household total less than £60k. This means that they have prioritised education and made significant financial sacrifices to do so. It makes working here both a privilege and a great responsibility.

When we set fees, we are careful to be sure we charge only what is needed for the type of education parents expect from us. We understand the efforts our parents make to pay these fees, which are much lower than those quoted for independent schools in the national media.

Whenever there is a debate about independent schools, some commentators seem to forget that these are real young people that are being openly debated. I hope, therefore, as politicians consider the sector, they reflect that what happens in the South-East is not reflective of the situation elsewhere. We are proud of what we achieve, together, at Bablake for our pupils and in our wider role supporting education in the city.

Andrew Wright Headmaster