“No One Sees Private Schools As Charities” …..
One of my posts received this feedback.
I pretty much understand and agree. This has become the Achilles Heal for Private Education. It is the result of poor communication and charitable delivery by the private schools in our education sector.
Nevertheless I do not think this justifies the intolerable damage being done by the current disruption to the education sector affecting all schools, all staff, and all students.
How about setting some simple benchmarks for the private schools:
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- 20% of fee income allocated to supporting the education of FSM and PP children
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- 100% of rental income allocated to charitable purposes delivered by the private school concerned ( the purposes to be clearly defined by Government )
As a starting point for discussion surely this approach enables educational choice; enables transparency of charitable purpose; and creates transformative opportunities for young people. Government could consult and engage private schools in a dialogue that would be far less damaging to the education sector ( and beyond), than the current proposals. Private schools have a clear role to play as charities and not as commercial entities. If the latter is the outcome, the result will be “elitism”.
I am aware of the sentiments expressed concerning the potential threat to English Rugby. The threat at the highest levels of achievement is far broader than that and we all need our role models many of whom do great things in the sphere of “Giving Back” across the academic, cultural, entrepreneurial, sports and governmental arenas within our society.
