Adapt And Prosper

The private education sector is subject to increasing scrutiny, regulation and challenge. Never has the phrase 'there is nothing permanent except change' been more apt, says Craig Aitchison.

Independent schools have had to cope with some major challenges over the last few years, which continue to affect the sector. These include:

• uncertainty over what constitutes 'public benefit' as a pre-requisite to maintaining charitable status
• constraints on parents' ability to meet education costs, especially with the introduction of £9,000 per annum university fees
• competition from state sixth form colleges, academies and free schools – there are now well over 2,700 academies and free schools, with more in the pipeline