Independent Schools

In the United Kingdom, independent schools (also private schools or public schools) are fee-paying private schools, governed by an elected board of governors and independent of many of the regulations and conditions that apply to state-funded schools. Some of the older, expensive and more exclusive schools catering for the 13-18 age-range in England and Wales are known as public schools, the term "public" being derived from the fact that they were open to pupils regardless of where they lived or their religion (while in many other countries a public school is run by the state or municipality.). Prep schools, (or preparatory school) educate younger children up to the age of 13 to "prepare" them for entry to the public schools and other independent schools. Some former grammar schools converted to an independent fee paying model following the 1965 Circular 10/65 which marked the end of their state funding, others converted into comprehensive schools.

There are around 2,500 independent schools in the UK, which educate around 615,000 children, some 7 per cent of all British children and 18 per cent of pupils over the age of 16. In addition to charging tuition fees, many also benefit from gifts, charitable endowments and charitable status. Many of these schools are members of the Independent Schools Council.