Report

The commission on the future for independent schools

Think tank: Civitas

Author(s): The report was led by seven external commissioners and work was conducted by Civitas researchers)

January 20, 2025

This report from UK think tank Civitas looks at how independent schools can thrive and best contribute to the whole school system.

The English independent schools sector, one of the most historic and well-reputed in the world, is at a fork in the road. After decades of fluctuating political pressure and public support, it has become clear that the future for the sector will not be able to look the same as its past.

A new path has to be chosen and a vision articulated for the purpose of independent schooling, for how it can thrive, and for how it can best contribute to the whole school system. The Commission on the Future for Independent Schools does this.

The Commission uses dozens of expert interviews, nationally representative polling, analysis of fee data, and a survey of school heads and bursars to provides a comprehensive picture of independent schooling today. It then uses this picture, as well as comparison with international examples, to set out a vision for the future landscape of independent schooling in England.

The recommendations outlined look to cultivate a sector that displays excellence, cultural breadth, independence, accessibility, and collaboration.