Independents feel pinch as primary intake dips by 7%

Published on Tuesday 27 April 2010 23:10

PUPIL numbers in primary one at independent schools have dropped by 7 per cent, according to new government statistics.

The fall was attributed last night to parents tightening finances in the recession, but sector leaders said it equated to just one or two pupils per school.

Over all years, pupil numbers at private primary schools fell by only 1.4 per cent to 11,439 in 2009.

Numbers at secondary school remained stable at 18,086 in 2009, down slightly from 18,109 in 2008.

In total, there were 30,507 at independent schools in 2009, but the proportion of Scottish pupils in independent schools remained at 4.31 per cent.

The official statistics also showed teacher numbers in the sector fell by 51 to 3,418 in 2009. However, the pupil-teacher ratio remained the same as 2008, at 8.9 pupils per teacher.

Only 85 per cent of independent school teachers are registered with the profession's regulator, the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), the figures showed.

Registration is a legal requirement for state schools.

Rod Grant, the headteacher of Clifton Hall School near Edinburgh, said his primary one had a waiting list last year.

He said: "The class was full, but we only take 24 children and most come from our nursery.

"We did have a waiting list last year, but intake is lower this year at about 20. It's not a problem, as we generally only go up to 22."

He believes the drop at primary one nationally is due to the economic situation.

He said: "It will be about money. People will be holding off to see how their financial situation works out.

"It is a big commitment if you are paying 8,000-9,000 a year, and there is a tendency among parents to think of private school for secondary, because state primaries are very good."

Last year, rolls at secondary were up slightly and at primary they dropped by 2.5 per cent, from 11,601 to 11,306.

This was attributed mainly to a fall in the birthrate, although some experts suggested parents could be holding off enrolling children in the independent sector until they reached secondary school age.

At secondary, the number rose by 0.4 per cent from 18,460 to 18,536.

Judith Sischy, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), said: "Stability is the key feature – a fall of under 1 per cent in a climate of cuts, falling pupil numbers and personal hardship defies our expectations.

"We are monitoring trends closely and will continue to do so, offering support wherever possible.

"The main fall in numbers is at primary one, but is still around 1 per cent (1.35 per cent] equivalent to two or three pupils per school. This is offset by increases elsewhere, but the figures are really too small to indicate any firm trends."

Several independent schools have increased their bursary schemes this year to help cash-strapped families to cope.

And several private schools this year froze staff pay and kept annual fee rises low because of the recession.