18-05-2025
Boarding schools hit by fall in number of international pupils
Boarding schools are being hit by a slide in the number of international pupils, a census will show on Tuesday.
The figure has fallen by almost 14 per cent since its peak in 2020.
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) shared figures from its annual census with The Times. In January there were 25,500 non-British pupils with parents living overseas at private schools, down from nearly 29,500 in 2020.
• Private school exodus of 13,000 dwarfs ministers' predictions
There has been a 2.6 per cent drop in the year to January alone, amounting to almost £29 million in lost fees. Ninety-three per cent of foreign pupils whose parents stay in their home country choose to board; 54 per cent are at an independent school sixth-form.
