Independent schools upbeat despite fall in primary pupils

Primary pupil numbers in Scotland's independent schools have dropped by 2.5 per cent in the last year.

The fall comes after predictions that rolls could fall in private schools due to parents struggling financially in the economic downturn.

However, sector leaders last night said secondary numbers were stable and blamed the dip on the falling birth rate.

Pupil numbers in private primary schools fell from 11,207 in 2009-10 to 10,922 in 2010-11.

It followed a similar-sized fall of 2.3 per cent in primary schools last year.

In secondary schools, pupil numbers rose 0.9 per cent from 18,068 in 2009-10 to 18,225 in 2010-11.

And in boarding schools, numbers were up 3.2 per cent from 3,199 to 3,302, after a drop of 0.3 per cent the previous year.

The latest figures were published by the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), which collects data each year from its 70 member schools.

Overall, there are 270 fewer pupils in mainstream schools in the independent sector this year.

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School leaders said the statistics reflected the stability and positive outlook of the sector. Rod Grant, headteacher of Clifton Hall School near Edinburgh, which is both a primary and a secondary, predicted numbers would rise next year.

He said: "With savage cuts to services on the way, it will be the independent sector which picks up the pieces as parents decide reduced provision is not what they want for their child.

"With independent schools now offering financial assistance to parents with low or moderate incomes they have a choice, and I predict an increase in independent school numbers across the board next year."

John Edward, director of SCIS, described the private schools sector as being in "good heart". He said: "It's clear that having chosen an independent school, parents will do all they can to keep their children there."

It had been feared that the recession last year and ongoing economic downturn might lead to parents withdrawing their children en masse to save paying high fees.

Several schools increased their bursary schemes to help cash-strapped families cope and several froze fees and pay rises for staff.

Others delayed major building projects and a handful of teachers were made redundant.

Several schools south of the Border faced mergers or even closed, with teachers losing jobs.

However, Scotland appears to have been affected far less, with just one school, St Margaret's in Edinburgh, closing in the past year.

Keith Robson, national official for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the outlook was more positive than anticipated a year ago.

He said: "It is a positive indicator from the perspective of our members working in the independent sector that pupil numbers overall are remaining stable. We hope that continues to be the case moving forward."