World | UK
School fee rise 'outstrips earnings'
Parents are finding it increasingly difficult to send children to fee-paying schools with private education less affordable than it was five years ago, a report claims yesterday.
- Evening Standard
- Published: 00:00 October 10, 2006
London: Parents are finding it increasingly difficult to send children to fee-paying schools with private education less affordable than it was five years ago, a report claims yesterday.
In a report condemned by the Independent Schools Council, Halifax Financial Services found that school fees last year took up a significantly larger chunk of earnings than in 2000.
In 2005 average private school fees were equal to 35 per cent of average gross earnings compared with 30 per cent in 2000. Fees were judged to be affordable if the charge for one child's schooling for one year was equivalent of less than 25 per cent of the average earning of a parent's occupation.
This would mean that parents in only 10 occupations named by the Halifax can now afford to send their children to fee-paying schools, down from 19 in 2000.
The average pilot, doctor, lawyer and senior police officer could still afford to send their children to private school.
But journalists, writers, tax advisers, architects and scientists have been frozen out.
Average salary
For teachers, school fees represented 30 per cent of the average salary last year, while for nurses the chunk of average earnings needed was bumped up to 39 per cent.
As a result, fewer than one in 10 nurses can afford to send a child to a private school, researchers said.
Martin Ellis, chief econ-omist at the Halifax, said: "The rapid rise in school fees over the past five years has made it increasingly difficult for many parents to send their children to private schools."
But the Independent Schools Council hit out at what it claims is "muddled and misleading" information.
-
Share this article
UK
Emigrants come and go as jobs dry up
Health watchdogs demand action on dirty hospitals
Camilla condemns explicit videos in rare expression of views
Families angered by decision on July 7 inquest
Man shows a stomach for trouble
'US raised Iraq issue hours after 9/11'
Cars explode in massive London fire
Large fire hits London: 310 people evacuated
More from World
News Editor's choice
-
A year after 173 defenceless people were killed
Mumbai itself is far from safe from another deadly attack, even though the level of security consciousness of the average Mumbaikar has been raised since 26/11
-
Nato supports Obama's plea
European and other allies to send around 6,000 troops to Afghanistan
-
Official confirms mayor is the suspect
Many witnesses have come forward, justice secretary says
-
Into an oasis of values
A place to snuggle in the warmth of old manners away from the bustle of city life
