But, while the Prime Minister was setting the challenge for private schools to develop their domestic outreach programme to help raise standards in underprivileged areas of the UK, it seems that these schools have been looking overseas as the international schools market goes from strength to strength.
“In Britain today, we have schools that are intolerant of failure, where 90% of pupils get five good GCSEs. Yes: private schools,” said David Cameron in his party conference speech. The reputation of the UK’s top private schools is undeniable, and, when they lend their name, support and sponsorship to the new wave of UK’s state schools taking on academy status (free from local authority control), often the private school’s brand and reputation rubs-off on the perceived quality of those state-funded schools.
And, indeed, Wellington College 'does it', having sponsored local state school Wellington Academy since 2009. With the help of its prestigious sponsor, the academy has gone on to become one of Wiltshire’s highest-performing schools, with an ‘outstanding’ OFSTED report.
Dulwich College, in London, has a similar arrangement with the Isle of Sheppey Academy. Brighton College also hit the headlines this month, as the school helps to establish a new sixth-form college in the London Borough of Newham under the Government’s Free School programme.
But, while these prestigious schools and colleges continue to develop their domestic outreach programme, their international expansion is continuing to gather momentum. According to a recent report from ISC Research, an organisation which researches and analyses developments in international schools, the international schools market ended the 2010/11 academic year with the highest number of schools ever in existence and the greatest number of students ever attending.
And these figures have not gone unnoticed by the UK’s top private schools. Among others, Wellington, Dulwich, Harrow, and Repton have all taken steps to expand their school networks in major global financial and cultural capitals in Asia and the Middle East.
The research by ISC reveals that, by July of this year (2011), there were 5,833 international schools around the world, teaching 2,859,008 students – a 6.2% increase in the overall number of schools during the academic year and an 11% increase in the number of students. Eleven years ago, in 2000, there were just 2,584 international schools teaching 969,445 students.
Asia, including Western Asia (the Middle East) has seen the biggest growth in the past year, with two-thirds of all growth. The leading cities for international schools are Dubai, with 175 schools, Doha, with 101 international schools, Bangkok, with 100 international schools, and Karachi, with 99.
Wellington College and Dulwich College are 'doing it' here, too. Dulwich College runs a co-educational, non-denominational academic institution offering education to the expatriate community of Shanghai. It also has schools in Beijing, Suzhou, and Zhuhai, in China, as well as in Seoul, in Korea. The schools are based on the same educational philosophy of Dulwich College London. Wellington College has recently opened a school in Tainjin, in China.
In August this year, Re:locate reported that ACS International Schools is extending its family of international schools with the opening of a fourth school, in Qatar’s capital city, Doha. David Thomas, chairman of ACS International Schools, said, “There is significant demand in Doha for schools which are able to meet the educational and transitional needs of globally mobile families as well as local families looking for an international education. This is a remit we are confident ACS Doha will fulfil.”
While established international schools, such as ACS International Schools and International School of London, are also expanding their networks, they offer their well-honed internationally focused programmes of education including, in many cases, the International Baccalaureate diploma.
Amin Makarem, managing director of ISL Qatar School, explains that, since the school opened in 2009, its major feature has been its internationalism. “We celebrate international-mindedness and intercultural understanding through the diversity of nationalities, cultures, religions and lifestyles of our students”, says Mr Makarem. Whereas, it would seem, the unique selling point of the UK public schools' venture into the international market is their high-profile, traditional British education.
Andrew Wigford, director of Teachers International Consultancy, told Re:locate, “There are a growing number of private schools from Britain and the USA now establishing sister international schools in a variety of regions worldwide.
"These schools have very quickly established a strong reputation within the international arena and offer the traditional, exclusive schooling, and, in many cases, boarding facilities that some families are looking for.”
“It is this very established reputation that is bringing a new, high-end option into the international school arena and one which has been very clearly welcomed by a significant number of expatriates and wealthier local families.”
Along with Wellington and Dulwich, the top private schools offering an international education include Eton’s arch-rival, Harrow, with schools in Bangkok, Beijing and Hong Kong, Shrewsbury International School, in Bangkok, and Repton School, in Dubai.
ISC Research has highlighted the opening of 153 brand new international schools, and many existing schools are reporting increased demand for places, with a significant number expanding their capacity to cope with demand.
Epsom College is likely to be contributing to those figures after a high-profile announcement about its new sister school, Epsom College, in Malaysia. The Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education delivered a keynote address and conducted the ceremony to mark the start of construction. It has also been reported that Brighton College will be opening a school in Abu Dhabi.
ISC Research believes that this coming year will continue to be dominated by the race to keep up with demand, helping to build the market from its present value of £16.8m (based on fee income alone) to £22.7m by 2016 and £30.6m by 2021.
Andrew Wigford concludes, “For the schools themselves, the international schools market is incredibly healthy and looks set to remain that way.”
