Private schools in the United Kingdom charge fees to parents for access. Some have financial endowments, most are governed by a board of governors, and are owned by a mixture of corporations, trusts and private individuals. They are independent of many of the regulations and conditions that apply to state-funded schools. For example, the schools do not have to follow the National Curriculum, although many such schools do.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial department of His Majesty's government, reporting to Parliament. Ofsted's role is to make sure that organisations providing education, training and childcare services in England do so to a high standard for children and students. Ofsted is responsible for inspecting a range of educational institutions, including state schools and some independent schools. It also inspects childcare, adoption and fostering agencies and initial teacher training, and regulates early years childcare facilities and children's social care services.
Education in Scotland is provided in state schools, private schools and by individuals through homeschooling. Mandatory education in Scotland begins for children in Primary 1 (P1) at primary school and ends in Fourth Year (S4) at secondary school. Overall accountability and control of state–education in Scotland rests with the Scottish Government, and is overseen by its executive agency, Education Scotland, with additional responsibility for nursery schools being the joint responsibility of both Education Scotland and the Care Inspectorate. Scotland's private schools are overseen by the Scottish Council of Independent Schools. Children in Scotland sit mandatory National Standardised Assessments in Primary 1 (P1), Primary 4 (P4), Primary 7 (P7) at the end of primary school, and Third Year (S3) in secondary school, which assist in monitoring children's progress and providing diagnostic data information to support teachers' professional judgement.
Ratcliffe College is a coeducational Catholic private boarding and day school near the village of Ratcliffe on the Wreake, Leicestershire, approximately 7 miles (11 km) from Leicester, England. The college, situated in 100 acres (0.40 km2) of parkland on the Fosse Way about six miles (10 km) north of Leicester, was founded on the instructions of Blessed Father Antonio Rosmini-Serbati in 1845 as a seminary. In 1847, the buildings were converted for use as a boarding school for upper-class boys. The college became coeducational under the presidency of Father Tony Baxter in the mid-1970s. As of the 2018–2019 academic years, there were 850 students on roll at Ratcliffe, from ages 3 to 18.
Learning and Teaching Scotland was a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, formed by the merger of the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum (SCCC) and the Scottish Council for Educational Technology (SCET). It was the main organisation for the development and support of the Scottish curriculum, and was at the heart of developments in Scottish education until its merger with Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education to form Education Scotland in 2011.
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is a non-profit lobby group that represents over 1,300 private schools in the United Kingdom. The organisation comprises seven independent school associations and promotes the business interests of its independent school members in the political arena, which includes the Department for Education. The ISC has received much positive comment for their work to support independent education in the face of ideological and politically motivated attack on the sector. Even critics of the ISC describe them as the "sleepless champion of the sector" and doing so in a "very forthright manner."
Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH) is a charity based in the United Kingdom which "affirms the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people and reduces discrimination experienced because of sexual orientation or gender identity." Since 2003, EACH has delivered training and consultancy services on sexuality and gender identity matters across the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. It also provides support to those affected by homophobic, biphobic or transphobic bullying through its nationwide, freephone helpline.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is approved by the Secretary of State for Education – under section 106 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 – to inspect private schools in England. These schools are members of associations, which form the Independent Schools Council.
Greenfields School is an independent day and boarding school in Forest Row, East Sussex, England claimed to educate future leaders of Scientology. It services children from 3 to 18. It has a Montessori-based Pre-school & Reception class, followed by Infant, Junior, Senior, 6th Form and EFL classes. The school uses the Cambridge Curriculum from Year 1 on up through the rest of the school. The school is a member of the Independent Schools Association.
Albyn School is a coeducational private day school, founded in 1867 in Aberdeen, Scotland. Albyn was originally an all-girls school before becoming co-educational in 2005. The school has a nursery, primary school and secondary school; pupils can attend from 2 years old to 18 years old.
Stonyhurst College and Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall are both Catholic boarding schools in the Jesuit tradition in Lancashire, England, which aim at the creation of Men and Women for Others. Under this principle, a number of charities operate within the two schools. The schools are themselves registered charities, and as such are obliged to benefit the wider community under the terms of the Charities Act 2006.
The Worthgate School(formerly CATSCollege Canterbury,Stafford House College) is a coeducational Private day and boarding school located in Canterbury, England, catering primarily for foreign students. It is owned by the CATS Global Schools group. The school specialises in preparing students for pre-university exams such as A-Levels and the International Baccalaureate as well as providing additional English tuition.
Therfield School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in Leatherhead, Surrey, England. Therfield School sixth form teaches courses of further education for students between the ages of 16 and 18 and has an arrangement of reciprocated entry criteria with three others in the county: The Ashcombe School, Warlingham School and Oxted School.
Chinthurst School is an independent co-educational nursery, pre-preparatory and preparatory school in semi-rural surroundings in the village of Tadworth, Surrey, England, 15 miles south of the centre of London. As a member of the RGS Group, the school is associated with Reigate Grammar School and Reigate St Mary's School. Its pupils' ages range from two to eleven years.
CIFE is a professional association of English independent sixth-form colleges. It provides support to its member institutions and advice about GCE Advanced Level and university entrance to anyone who asks for it. CIFE's President is Alistair Cooke, Baron Lexden
Education Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, tasked with improving the quality of the country's education system.
The National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) is the leading organisation in the United Kingdom which aims to promote the education, training, advancement and development of all those with special and additional support needs. The organisation provides advice, training and support to education professionals and its work on behalf of its members helps to inform special educational needs policy.
NCFE is an awarding organisation and registered educational charity providing qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. NCFE is regulated by Ofqual in England, and recognised by Qualifications Wales and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment in Northern Ireland.
The Teacher Development Trust is a UK charity which works to raise awareness of the importance of professional development for teachers and other education professionals.
Chandlings, or Chandlings Prep School, known until 2007 as Chandlings Manor School, is an independent co-educational preparatory school at Bagley Wood near Kennington, a village south of Oxford.
