Schools: Independent Schools

Lord Campbell-Savours Excerpts

Thursday 16th January 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

There are plenty of schemes, such as the Buttle UK springboard, which encourage pupils to go to independent schools. Even if we got a third of independent school places occupied by poorer pupils, we would still be dealing with only 2% of the population. We believe that our money is better spent trying to improve the educational chances of the majority of children.

[Lord Campbell-Savours (Lab)]

My Lords, where do the figures that the noble Lord referred to come from? On what basis was the valuation made, and what was it of?

[Lord Nash]

They come from the subsidy that independent schools give on fees that would otherwise be paid by parents, which they find from their own resources or from charitable raising activities.