Independent schools have proven their worth in lockdown

Barnaby Lenon, chair of the Independent Schools Council, says it’s time to congratulate teachers for their hard work

In some respects independent schools in the UK had a good Covid-19. With lockdown in March they rapidly shifted to offering close to a full timetable online. Pupils were taught well and were assessed fully. Many schools felt that their pupils had learnt more than they might have done had the school operated normally. For the first time parents could actually see what was being taught in lessons. Some even learnt something!

This was in stark contrast to many state schools who, in the face of union intransigence, found it much harder.

So independent schools faced the academic year 2020-2021 with confidence. Their pupils had not fallen behind. Which is just as well because it is expected that GCSEs and A-levels will be set and sat in June 2021 with limited change in content and no change in level of difficulty.

Financially independent schools have faced three challenges: the understandable reduction in the number of overseas pupils because of the poor health record of the UK, the fact that some fee-paying parents have lost their jobs, and the decision taken by most governing boards to cut fees in the summer 2020 term. Many held fees down in autumn 2020 as well. As costs faced by these schools were little reduced (the main cost being teaching staff, most of whom carried on working), the budgets of schools were badly hit. Some schools closed, others merged or were sold to investors.

But the schools who closed were generally small and already facing financial difficulties. Most independent schools survived, although many had to cut costs. Many were able to help parents with bursary support.

The Independent School Council Census 2020 shows there are currently just over 58,000 non-British pupils at ISC schools with just under 30,000 having parents overseas (5.5% of all ISC pupils). The loss of some of these overseas pupils will be acutely felt – particularly in boarding schools – and measures will be needed to build the confidence of overseas families about returning to the UK.

Most independent schools remained open during lockdown in order to look after the children of key workers or vulnerable children. Many worked to support state schools nearby.

Today the picture looks surprisingly good – better than expected in dreadful circumstances. Not only have academic standards been maintained but independent schools have done a brilliant job with the pastoral care of the children in their care. Mental health has been a focus of all our schools since reopening. After all, the children had been confined to home for months and some lost relatives to the virus.

But it will take time to get back to normal. As I write there are no contact sports being allowed and there are restrictions on the normal activities in subjects like PE, drama and dance. Teachers have to cope with juggling teaching as normal with the possibility that tomorrow they may have to revert to online lessons. The testing system is failing schools badly. Many staff are exhausted, having worked with little break since 20 March 2020.

Finally, let us congratulate both independent and state school teachers for their hard work and expertise during this crisis and the pupils for bearing up at a time which was hard for many. We must hope by next summer the pandemic will seem a distant memory.

This article first appeared in Which School? 2021, which is available now in print and online. You can read the full version here...