No. 139 The Trusty Servant to greater central control of what is taught in schools- and how; to insist on teaching qualifications as a precursor to work in the classroom( which would reduce our ability to recruit talented graduates and help them train on the job); and to make education ever more vocational in its purpose.
The principle of having a vocational focus to much of our education system is admirable( and, indeed, William of Wykeham founded Winchester and New College in significant part to provide replacements for the priests killed in the Black Death). However, William of Wykeham was also a radical innovator in how he wanted education delivered – and to whom. It is a tribute to his vision that Henry VI borrowed so much of it when founding Eton College 60 years later. It would be nice to think that Bridget Phillipson’ s reforms might be seen as a model to follow in the 2080s – but improbable. What will these changes mean for Winchester?
In terms of the school’ s finances, our costs will increase( as a result of VAT, business rates, National Insurance, etc) by some £ 7 million in a full year- for a school that last year generated fees of about £ 35 million. We have already announced a significant fee increase for September 2025. Our education will become less affordable. Our Bursary Programme will come under added pressure. a natural partner on their doorstep. Boarding prep schools were already facing significant challenges, even before the latest changes. They now face a far more difficult financial situation, to add to the broader social shift away from boarding at eight. Schools are already closing. More will follow.
In terms of our educational provision, Winchester is perhaps uniquely illsuited to a flat, monochrome vision of education – with teaching expected to achieve narrow, mechanical goals. Like many independent schools, we offer a broad curriculum and the opportunity to study subjects, from Classics to Modern Languages to Music, which risk becoming extinct in the maintained sector. We also, of course, place a premium on non-examined teaching designed to encourage intellectual breadth and critical thinking. It remains to be seen how far the Secretary of State’ s ambition to impose central control will affect either Winchester or the wider independent education sector. It is, therefore, too early to predict exactly how the sector as a whole will evolve over the next two to three years. There is no real doubt, however, that it will become smaller( probably much
smaller); more dependent on overseas pupils; and more concentrated in London and the Southeast.
This is particularly frustrating as independent education is a relatively rare example of a British success story: overseas parents are impressed by what we offer and eager for their children to benefit from it. They are attracted by both the quality and the diversity available in independent secondary schools, in particular. But British government policy is simply going to increase the pace at which UK schools decide to establish campuses overseas – taking investment and jobs with them.
The Governing Body is not deterred and remains determined to maintain the school’ s focus on teaching beyond the examined curriculum, on scholarship and on facilitating access for those unable to afford our fees. In many ways, this is likely to become more difficult, given the financial and regulatory pressures. I strongly believe, however, that as the arid uniformity of the present government’ s plans for education become more apparent, what we have to offer will be even more attractive than before.
Even more worrying is the likely impact on the educational ecosystem in which we exist – in particular prep schools. You will have seen that we are going to merge with Pilgrims’ from the beginning of next term. This is a natural extension of our present( and historic) relationship, which should bring benefits to both – much needed, given the headwinds we face. But other examples of consolidation will be less logical and driven principally by the need to survive: not many senior schools will have such
The Pilgrims ' School
2