The following information is provided by our UK Education and Schools specialist, Nathaniel Price.
School visits
Most schools are now open to parents visiting again, though there are some restrictions on times available and Covid-19 precautions are often still in place. Hopefully this trend will continue, although I think schools are being understandably cautious, especially given how quickly events moved last Autumn.
Availability of school spaces
There is a common misconception amongst many parents that a combination of both Brexit and Covid-19 has led to an increase in available school spaces in both the state and private sectors. This doesn’t appear to be the case in most year groups, especially in the large urban areas. Pupil numbers in schools continue to be high.
The one slight exception is in the current Reception class in London, where there does seem to be more availability than in previous years. However, it is hard to know whether this is the start of a trend with families moving out of London, or just a one-off blip.
Private school fees
Many private schools effectively froze their fees last year and there has been a slight increase this year; on average about 3%.
In London a good ballpark figure for fees at English private schools would be approximately £15K p.a. at primary level and £21K p.a. at secondary level. Obviously, this varies from school to school, and fees will be lower outside of London. International school fees are generally a little higher.
Exam results
Parents are always keen on comparing exam results at SAT, GCSE, A Level and IB. We’re trying to strike a note of caution over putting too much value on these figures. Because results were effectively self-moderated by schools over the past two years, their reliability is open to question.
If you are an existing client and require more information on our Education & Schools service, please contact your HCR Relocation Consultant or email us at info@hcr.co.uk