IER publication spotlight: The reality of financial aid in Britain’s private schools

 IER's Dr Sangwoo LeeLink opens in a new window, along with co-authors Francis Green, Golo Henseke, and Anna Yong, has published a new paper in the British Journal of Sociology of Education titled "Diluting Exclusivity? The Prevalence and Distribution of Bursaries and Scholarships for Britain's Private Schools."

The study provides a timely historical and statistical analysis of financial assistance within Britain’s independent school sector. While these grants are frequently claimed by some parliamentarians to mitigate social exclusivity, the research reveals that only 3% of private school income actually goes toward funding them.

Furthermore, the authors find that while these grants have become more common over time, their individual value has steadily decreased relative to rising fees. Ultimately, the paper concludes that current bursary structures are highly unlikely to bring forth a significant reform of the sharp class divide characterising Britain’s school system.