From The Head - Friday 19th September 2025
A common question from prospective parents considering an independent school education for their child is, understandably, what are the benefits?
As you would imagine and hope, I am able to easily provide a list of things extolling the virtues and benefits of independent education. However, apart from a robust academic curriculum and a broad range of extra curricular opportunities, one of the main features and advantages of an independent education is the preparation for life and the development of life skills to enable pupils to confidently and successfully navigate the world around them.
Skills such as being able to speak in public, manage social situations and challenges, having the confidence to take risks and to problem solve, all impact and influence an individual's ability to be successful and gain a sense of achievement, and this all begins in school, from the first time a child stands up in assembly to read out their work, to when they proudly stand up at the end of year celebration to deliver a speech or performance.
The key test of whether or not we are successful in delivering this and achieving these outcomes for our children is when an ex pupil or parent comes back to let us know how well they have done and how the preparation they received at primary level made all the difference. The ethos and values of a school dictate the environment and sometimes it is the subtlest of features that have an impact on what a child will gain in the long term.
It was reported this week by the Sutton Trust that the most influential people in the UK are five times more likely to have gone to an independent school. A new report from the social mobility charity states that around six per cent of the population are independently educated, but of the FTSE 100 chief executives who were schooled in the UK, 66 either went to independent schools or attended grammar schools. The report also found that more than two thirds of FTSE 100 chairs were independently educated in 2025, a 15 percentage point increase from 2019.
Independent education is an investment in your child's future and something that we take very seriously. Whatever is put in place now will pay dividends in the future and lay the foundations for endless possibilities. Who knows if the next CEO of a giant international corporation or the next Prime Minister already lies amongst us?!
Enjoy this week's newsletter and have a lovely weekend.
Julia Langford
Headteacher
Headteacher