CIE0333

Written evidence submitted by Independent Schools Council

The impact of COVID-19 on education and children’s services

Written submission of the Independent Schools Council (ISC)

Executive Summary

1. The Independent Schools Council (ISC) brings together seven member associations – and four affiliate associations – to represent almost 1,400 independent schools, and more than 500,000 pupils.[1] These schools represent approximately half of all independent schools in the UK, and educate approximately 80% of those who attend independent schools.

2. Independent schools have been working throughout the public health emergency to continue education. They have:

• Remained open for vulnerable children, and the children of key workers. Where possible, they have offered spare capacity to Local Authorities.
• Provided online learning for their pupils
• Shared their online learning resources with partner schools and forged new partnerships.

We know, from a representative survey undertaken by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), that approximately 78% of ISC school sites remained open for some form of continuing provision as of 20th March 2020.[2]

3. Independent schools have worked through new and existing partnerships to support the wider education sector and made efforts to reduce the ‘disadvantage gap’ which COVD-19 threatens to exacerbate.

4. At the same time, independent schools have faced educational issues with remote learning, and the same costs as state-funded schools which have remained open to educate vulnerable and key-worker children. These are combined with the commercial pressures facing all businesses and (in the 73% of ISC schools which are charities) the same pressures facing charities. This means that many school leaders now face acute financial challenges, and some may be forced to close as a direct result of COVID-19.

5. This would represent a diminution of the whole capacity of the British education system, increased costs to the taxpayer (both through the education budget, and through potential unemployment), and would threaten education as a Great British export and soft power opportunity.

6. As well as addressing these issues in detail below, we have offered evidence in support of two other questions cited by the Committee: the effect of cancelling examinations, and future contingency planning. In many places, it has not been possible to furnish the Committee with a complete national picture of independent schools’ actions – as schools remain very much in the midst of the crisis and are prioritising plans for reopening and financial survival. Should there be any questions arising from this submission, or a desire for further information, contact may be made through Matthew Dent, Public Affairs Officer (matthew,dent@isc.co.uk, 020 7766 7059).

Context

7. The approximately 1,400 schools which are members of ISC associations operate as a part of the unified education system. They seek to serve their local communities like any other school, and frequently work in partnership with their colleagues in state-funded schools. The most recent ISC Census (which covers all member schools) found that there are currently 1,169 schools – 85% of ISC schools – involved in at least one partnership, with a total of 11,720 partnerships between independent schools, state-funded schools, and community groups.

8. As well as contributing to the whole education system through partnership, independent schools represent both vital capacity for, and a significant saving to, the Department for Education and the state-funded system. ISC schools educate more than 537,000 pupils, approximately 478,000 of whom would otherwise be entitled to a place in a state-funded school (the remaining students being overseas students).[3] Research in 2018 valued the saving to the education budget owing to all independent school places at £3.5 billion, and estimated the total, additional, tax contribution of these schools to be £4.1 billion.[4]

9. Furthermore, many ISC schools have a global outlook – whether through overseas students at their school, through running overseas campuses across the world, or both. The Department of International Trade has recognised the importance of British independent schools within its International Education Strategy, and the Department for Education has valued the export value of British independent schools at £970 million.[5] This is of particular importance given the unique challenges which COVID-19 poses to this overseas education market.

10. Independent schools share some of the same challenges state-funded schools are facing due to COVID-19 – continuing education and providing pastoral support through the crisis. However, they also have a commercial identity. Almost three-quarters (73%) of ISC schools have charitable status, and thus are obliged to reinvest any surplus into their charitable purpose, but every ISC school shares the same need to remain financially viable, and ensure that their income allows them to pay wages and afford the upkeep of their buildings. In this sense, they have suffered – and are continuing to suffer – many of the same impacts that commercial businesses are suffering due to COVID.

The effect of COVID-19 on disadvantaged groups

11. Independent schools have worked throughout the crisis to continue education, and to support disadvantaged pupils through partnerships with state-funded schools. Teachers and leaders in independent schools see themselves as part of the one education system, and their priority is education.

12. This assistance has primarily taken the form of sharing remote resources through pre-existing partnership relationships. Independent schools are building their response on a strong partnership base, with the 2020 ISC Census (conducted in January, before the public health emergency) finding that there are 11,720 partnerships between independent and state schools, with 1,169 (or 85%) of ISC schools participating in at least one such partnership.[6] For context, only 73% of ISC schools have charitable status, and are subject to the legal requirement to provide public benefit. The sector’s commitment to partnership working was confirmed in 2018, with the signing of a Joint Understanding on Partnerships between the Department for Education and ISC (on behalf of member associations and schools).[7]

13. These partnership networks have proven invaluable in the response to the challenges of COVID-19, and we have included evidence of the partnership work they have been undertaking as a specific response to the virus. In the representative examples below, help is directed at whole schools (or groups of schools), rather than specifically at children identified as disadvantaged. In each case, however, the resources provided are aimed at supporting schools less used to remote learning and closing the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. In some cases, schools have also been sharing resources specifically designed to support resilience and mental health, in an effort to ensure the closure of schools does not breed additional ill health and disadvantage:

• East Kent Schools Together partnership has rethought how the schools can continue to support each other, when face-to-face co-operation has become impossible. The partnership group consists of seven school (of which three are independent schools) and Canterbury Christ Church University. The partners have gathered resources aimed at virtual classrooms and teachers having to undertake remote teaching for the first time. While aimed at the partner schools, they have been made available to any school which needs them, and can be found here. Alongside learning resources, there are resources for the new reality of remote teaching: safeguarding, mental well-being, and virtual cultural experiences (e.g. virtual museum tours).

• Eton College have opened their online learning platform, EtonX, free of charge to every state school in the country. As of 27th May, 198,382 pupils – across more than 1,600 schools – have registered for the platform, with access to the same lessons as Eton students.

• Abingdon School are working through Abingdon Science Partners and the Oundle, Peterborough and East Northants (OPEN) Learning Partnership to develop lesson plans for primary school science, and make these available (here). These resources are being made available to members of both partnerships. In addition to primary lesson plans, they are gathering links for all ages, and have a dedicated page for GCSE Astronomy. This is an example of the support independent schools provide for subjects which disadvantaged students may be less likely to access.

• London Academy of Excellence (LAE) in Stratford is a Free School opened in 2012, as part of a partnership between six independent schools which have significant capacity to tackle disadvantage in the borough of Newham, improve A-Level results, and encourage access to higher education. This partnership was among those highlighted in a recent publication – The Missing Two Thousand – by the Schools Together Group, an ISC expert group on partnership working. The full report can be found here.

Anushka Chakravarty, Assistant Head Academic at LAE comments on how this partnership has adapted to meet the impact of COVID-19:

“At the London Academy of Excellence, our partnerships with our six independent partner schools (Brighton College, Caterham School, Eton College, Forest School, Highgate School and University College School (UCS) Hampstead) have been more important than ever during the pandemic.”

“With a student body where more most will be in the first generation of their family to go to university, more than a third are eligible for free school meals, and all are preparing for the next phase of education or work, the shortage of face-to-face opportunities has certainly been a setback for our students. They have not only missed out on face-to-face teaching for A-Levels but summer schools, university open days, careers fairs, and lectures: all at a critical time in their plans to achieve their aspirations.”

In terms of dealing with the impacts of school closure, Ms Chakravarty added:

“For example, in collaboration with UCS in Hampstead, students have been preparing a research project for presentation at a joint online Academic Symposium in June, moderated by teachers from both schools. Our students have also taken part in a public speaking workshop at UCS which was delivered to a number of schools.”

“Staff and school leaders meanwhile have benefited from shared staff CPD sessions delivered virtually by Brighton College to help us move lessons online seamlessly using Microsoft Teams. There has also been continuous support from governors from all of our partner schools as we plan for remote personal development programmes, remote SEND provision and for reopening.”

“What is clear is that this partnership has been mutually rewarding to both the state and independent school partners. There is no doubt that it has helped us to mitigate and overcome some of the educational challenges placed in our way by Covid-19.”

14. In addition to these efforts to mitigate any disadvantage gap caused by COVID-19, ISC and its member Associations have explored the possibility of structured summer catch up courses, hosted by independent schools. We are pleased to report to the Committee that there has been considerable enthusiasm – in principle – from school leaders, and we have made the Department aware of this potential.

15. We will keep the Committee informed of any further schemes which take place over summer, and we will continue to work with the Department to provide what help is possible, including in the next academic year. Given the enthusiasm shown by Heads, we are confident that recommendations which the Committee may wish to make as part of this inquiry as to how independent schools can play their part in bridging the disadvantage gap would be carefully considered.

The financial implications of closures for providers

16. COVID-19 poses serious – and in some cases existential – risks for independent schools. The combination of lost fee income, expected reduction in demand, and increased costs has created extraordinary pressure for every school and will cause some schools to close. This will, of course, have consequential impacts on state-funded schools, and may increase costs to the education budget. We are already aware of 25 independent schools (both ISC and non-Association) schools which have closed permanently as a result of the pressures of COVID-19.

17. We welcome the Government’s commitment to support viable businesses, and urge recognition of the fact that – when considering independent schools – support for viable schools is important not only to safeguard employment, but also to safeguard educational provision, and the cost saving the school represents to the education budget.

18. At present, schools are using the same financial support measures as many other businesses – primarily the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the ‘furlough’ scheme). Many schools did face initial problems with the CBILS process, including the request for personal guarantees from charity trustees (who would be the school governors). However, we are pleased to report to the Committee that this scheme is now working well and would like to thank the Department for their efforts in smoothing out early problems.

19. We know that schools will have used the furlough scheme for support staff, but many teachers have remained working by providing online learning and will therefore not be eligible for the furlough scheme.

20. Many independent schools have answered the Government’s call to remain open for the children of key workers, and for children who are vulnerable – including remaining open through the Easter holidays, and incurring additional costs. Therefore, they were disappointed to find that they were not eligible for the Department for Education funding programme for schools who had incurred exceptional costs associated with coronavirus.[8] While mindful of the political concerns about public money going to independent schools, it is clear that schools have met every criteria for assistance – incurring extra costs in undertaking the Government’s request and supporting the national effort to battle coronavirus.

21. The global impact of COVID-19 poses additional challenges for schools which educate significant numbers of overseas students. The 2020 ISC Census shows that there are presently 58,650 overseas pupils presently enrolled in independent schools in the UK. These students are a very valuable resource for both schools and the country as a whole: they provide their schools with a rich global outlook, they provide important income streams which can support bursaries and public benefit work, and they provide significant ‘soft power’ for the UK as a whole. As well as the soft power derived from providing these students an experience of Britain, and British education, attendance at a British independent school can act as a ‘pipeline’ for recruitment for British universities.

22. Difficulties recruiting international students could reduce the size of the ISC school population by more than 10% - a loss of pupils and fee income which could prove fatal for well-established British brands, who were viable businesses before COVID-19. We believe that there need to be efforts to build the confidence of international students who are considering a return to the UK, and the visa system needs to support their return.

23. Schools which educate international pupils are keenly aware of their public health duties and want to support efforts to combat the virus. We urge the Government to explore how robust measures can still allow schools to operate as normally as possible – and minimise the risk of schools closing (and creating additional costs for the taxpayer).

24. Boarding schools will be most acutely affected by difficulties recruiting overseas students, and the Boarding Schools Association (an ISC affiliate association) have produced a ‘COVID-safe charter’ (here) in response. This is a voluntary code for boarding schools, which aims to give confidence to everyone that the school is following all appropriate measures to ensure that boarding is a safe environment for pupils. As of 13th July 2020, 230 BSA schools have adopted the charter

The charter is designed to work alongside public health guidance in each of the four nations and encourages schools to go beyond statutory minimums as a way of reassuring everyone that boarding facilities are safe.

25. We believe other measures would be welcome to build confidence and encourage the resumption of international education:

• As different countries will be lifting (and potentially re-imposing) restrictions at different rates, we believe a remote visa application process is needed for Tier 4 (Child) visas. This would allow students in countries where UK Visa Centres remain closed to apply for, and receive, a visa to enter the UK. Applicants to this category are among the least likely to breach visa rules, and full biometric data would still be gathered when the student is in the UK.

• Additionally, we would encourage the Home Office to continue the present Tier 4 visa concessions which reflect the difficulties of operating the visa system during the crisis.

The effect of cancelling formal exams

26. Since the necessary cancellation of exams, ISC has worked with Ofqual to design new exam grading arrangements.

27. As a school’s results over the past two-to-three years will play a significant role in grade formulation, schools which were expecting their best-ever year (or continuing improvement as the result of a turn-around) will have some concerns

The methodology will not reflect school improvement efforts and will judge candidates for the past performance of other candidates – with potential knock-on consequences for disadvantaged candidates, and those schools (state or independent) which are doing most to improve outcomes for pupils.

Additionally, we have concerns about how the methodology will deal with centres which have incomplete historic data for the qualifications being awarded this year. This could be owing to a change in qualification system (for example, from International Baccalaureate to A Levels), inconsistent take-up of unpopular subjects such as Further Maths meaning that there have been no candidates in some years. We recommend that there should be a process of appeals for centres who believe their awarded grades have been affected by a lack of historic data.

28. These concerns notwithstanding, we believe that progression will not be adversely affected if schools, colleges, universities, and employers are encouraged to see the grades awarded in 2020 in their proper context, and use discretion when considering candidates whose assessment has been impacted by COVID-19.

Contingency planning for any future national emergency

29. The COVID-19 crisis has emphasised how independent schools can – and already do – act as part of their communities. We provide here evidence of ways in which independent schools have worked as part of the national effort to combat the virus, beyond the partnerships listed above.

30. While the resources of independent schools are not suitable for formal inclusion into Government contingency planning, the crisis response has shown that independent schools have resources which they are able to use to benefit the nation, and we suggest that future Government planning takes into account the ability of independent schools to play their part and support national priorities.

31. At present we are aware of at least 121 independent schools having contributed PPE, with most schools contributing quantities in the hundreds, and approximately 30 producing thousands of pieces.[9] Primarily, these have been simple pieces – and it cannot be expected that schools could produce complex pieced of medical equipment. They have, however, been able to remedy local shortages and provide basic protection to community groups and other key workers who would not have been a priority for PPE procurement, and would otherwise have drained resources which would be better used by the NHS.

32. ISC has been collecting examples of schools donating PPE from school stocks and using resources such as 3D printers to produce additional PPE to donate to local healthcare centres, key workers, and NHS staff. We know that the evidence base we currently have will only be a fraction of the national picture – and would be happy to update the Committee when a clearer national picture is available.

33. We are also aware of 75 schools with boarding facilities who have offered these to local NHS workers as temporary accommodation – totalling more than 10,000 beds offered to NHS staff. This accommodation was intended to allow NHS staff to rest safely and conveniently after their shifts, without returning home and risking infection of vulnerable family members.

Conclusions

34. Independent schools have acted as part of the national effort to combat coronavirus, and in a manner which reflects their place within the whole education system. Leaders and teachers at independent schools are facing educational challenges alongside other schools, as well as the financial pressures of employers and businesses. Regardless, they have worked – in partnership – to continue education, and to combat the effects of COVID-19 on disadvantaged pupils.

35. Independent schools utilised, where possible, the Government’s support for businesses – and pay tribute to the Government for their actions to safeguard employment and livelihoods. Independent schools are working hard to support education and hope that the Government recognises this and provides support when needed.

36. Furthermore, there is a material risk to the future of international education in the UK, and to the schools which provide this education. This would have consequences for Britain’s international influence and soft power. It would make it more difficult for the Government to achieve the aims of its International Education Strategy and would diminish Britain’s global reach at a time when it is trying to be open and welcoming to the world. Therefore, we would urge the Department of Education to work with other Departments to ensure that international pupils feel happy and confident to return to the UK, and support schools in their recruitment of overseas pupils for the next academic year.

July 2020