THE headmaster of a prestigious independent school has said he would like to take on state pupils as boarders if funding could be provided for their education.
Peter Sutton, headmaster of Ardvreck School in Crieff, believes boarding should be an option to all and he would like to expand his school to take more children.
He said: "The Scottish Government, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, could pr
ovide the funding, or perhaps an industry figure or a local philanthropist.
"Government and industry could work in partnership, with businesses sponsoring pupils to come to us."
Mr Sutton's idea emerged after the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (Oscr) said private schools needed to be more accessible to maintain their charitable status, which is worth millions in tax benefits to the sector.
It would mean parents who could not afford boarding fees could access bursaries to cover their child's education.
Mr Sutton said: "We were challenged by Oscr to give greater access to the school, but we have to be realistic how much we can do without backing from the Scottish Government."
In May The Scotsman reported that other headteachers in Scotland had called for the creation of state boarding schools, which already exist in England.
Andrew Hunter, headmaster at the Scottish boys-only boarding school Merchiston Castle in Edinburgh, said: "In England there are some really good state boarding schools, which are over-subscribed.
"Scotland values its education tremendously, but I think not having state boarding schools north of the Border is a problem because it limits parents' options."
Peter Hogan, headmaster of Loretto in Musselburgh, was previously involved in a pilot scheme in England where local authorities paid for pupils to attend a private school.
He said: "We are open to negotiate with local authorities on this. It's not going to work for every child, but for some, if the circumstances are right, it would be a great opportunity."
Critics were, however, sceptical yesterday about the benefits of boarding.
Judith Gillespie, policy development officer for the Scottish Parent Teaching Council, said it was always preferable for children to live with parents rather than board.
She said: "There are times when boarding schools are necessary. For example Oban has to provide boarding places for children from the islands because they simply can't get home. Or if a parent is in the armed forces, you can understand that.
"But otherwise simply choosing boarding because you think there's something in for the kids, then no. Boarding always has to be the second best option."
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said its focus was on "improving the quality of education in the state sector and ensuring that every school provides opportunities for all our pupils to flourish."
He added: "The Scottish Government would not consider it appropriate to channel funding in the direction of independent schools."
Don't let ideology get in the way of a good education"THE last thing I'll do is send my child to boarding school," said a friend of mine a few days after she was delivered of her firstborn. But 12 years later, she changed her tune.
When I reminded her, she had the grace to look shamefaced, but only for a minute or two. "Well," she said, "John and I both have high-powered jobs which we both enjoy. Our son doesn't see much of us at home anyway.
"He is mad on sport, which he doesn't get much of at his present school, and we like living in the country, so he hasn't many friends around. "When his best friend was sent to board, it was he who suggested we go and look. One visit – and that was that."
She might have spoken about the opportunities for developing leadership, self reliance, high-quality teaching, superb exam results, excellent facilities, and small classes.
"What about the cost?" I asked. Fortunately, his parents could afford it, but it led me to think about those who cannot.
Sadly, there are no state boarding schools in Scotland.
One solution is to apply for financial assistance – most Scottish independent schools now offer some sort of means tested assistance. But how much better it might be if local councils were to consider entering a partnership with boarding schools for pupils with genuine need, and if some philanthropists could be persuaded to sponsor deserving pupils. It is high time someone took the initiative to persuade the government that within these schools they will find genuine excellence.
Frank Gerstenberg is former headteacher at George Watson's College, Edinburgh
