The education system in the United Kingdom has been deeply
influenced by the social class structure. The traditional view was that
education was the concern of the family, with private tutors being engaged to
teach the sons of the nobility, and of the church, where schools were set up by
bishops to give instruction to prospective clergymen.
"public
schools", drawing pupils from the middle and upper classes. A
few of these schools dated back to the 16th century and beyond, but the
majority were established to meet growing demand in the 18th and 19th
centuries.
Roughly 6-7% of children in the UK attend independent
schools, of which there are over 2200. All are required to meet regulation and
most are funded by fees paid by parents. Many independent schools are run as
Charitable Trusts under the control of a Board of Governors.
There are a number
of Associations of independent schools, foremost amongst which are the
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) and the Girls' Schools
Association (GSA) at senior level and the Incorporated Association of Preparatory
Schools at prep school level. Many independent Sixth
Form and Tutorial Colleges belong to the Council for Independent
Further Education (CIFE).
