“Adding 20 per cent to the average private school fees would see day schools rise to £19,200 a year, on average, and to £46,800 for boarding schools, on average.” The Independent, 30th August 2024.
With the new Labour government’s 20% tax levied upon UK Independent Schools and fees steadily increasing over the past decade, the financial burden upon hard-working families is making private education unaffordable. Middle income families who want a private school education for their children are in danger of being ‘priced-out’ of an increasingly financially elitist independent sector.
The solution to this problem is the best in holistic online schooling as offered by Benbridge Academy. As a result of the online nature of this school, the running costs are kept to a minimum enabling Benbridge Academy to focus on employing the best, forward-thinking teachers while keeping tuition fees affordable and accessible.
“Middle income families who want a private school education for their children are in danger of being ‘priced-out’ of a financially elitist independent sector.”
As a former independent international school Principal, Benbridge Academy’s co-founder, Nicholas Bennett draws parallels between the UK’s 20% fees hike and the challenges for middle-income families during the COVID epidemic.
“Due to contracts being cancelled and companies removing employees’ education fee benefits, schools overseas lost students in their droves. Many hard-working parents could not afford to pay the fees and schools were unable to make significant changes to their tuition costs due to the necessity of having to pay large staff bodies and meet the costs of running costly facilities. The irony was, the answer for parents was right under their noses. Online learning. As the Principal of a school that did online learning very well, it became clear that this is an excellent alternative. The flexibility, the convenience and, above all, the economic sense of it. Regarding the quality of teaching and learning, we’ve found that we’re attracting a generation of forward-thinking teachers convinced that online provision is more effective than traditional schools. What’s more, our parents feel the same. Essentially, our community is getting far more for far less.”
Why is online schooling the best option in affordable private education?
With an average annual fee of £5, 250 for full time education, Benbridge Academy’s tuition is almost 75% lower than an average UK Independent School (£19, 200)
- Benbridge Academy offers a flexible and convenient way for students to receive a quality education from the comfort of their own homes. This option can be significantly more affordable than traditional private schools, making it an attractive choice for families looking to save money on education costs.
- Benbridge Academy often has lower overhead costs, as they do not require physical school buildings, a large staff, or other expenses associated with traditional schooling. This cost-saving measure is passed on to families, making online schooling an affordable option for many.
- At Benbridge Academy, resources are provided online. This means that the resource cost per student is minimal and does not mean an increase to tuition fees. A further benefit is the minimal environmental cost. A paper-free learning environment is good for the planet, not to mention the reduced carbon footprint linked to daily travel.
Along with all of the other benefits of online education- the ‘gold standard’ of next generation education, families can access high-quality education at a more affordable price, making it an ideal alternative to traditional private schools. As the cost of education continues to rise, Benbridge Academy is the answer that many families are looking for.
