What is an Independent School?
An independent school is one which does not receive funding from national or local government sources. Independent, or private, schools are financed by tuition fees and voluntary donation and sometimes from income from investments.
The terms "independent school" and "private school" are both used throughout the world to describe schools independently run and funded; they are not dependent upon the state in any way.
Independent schools catering for younger pupils are known as preparatory schools. Some private preparatory, or prep, schools are directly connected with senior schools, others act as feeder schools to a number of independent senior schools.
Schools providing living accommodation for their pupils are referred to as boarding schools. Boarding schools are available for students in all age groups, from preparatory upwards and there are many boarding options to choose from to suit families' needs.
The most prestigious private schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are known as public schools; this term is not used in Scotland for an independent or private school.
Schools that cater principally for children from overseas may be known as international schools and the majority of them are independent, although there are some examples of state-funded international schools.
All independent schools must satisfy strict inspection requirements to ensure that standards are met and maintained, with additional inspections for schools providing boarding facilities.
