An increase was also seen in boarding pupil numbers, up 1.7% among those schools completing the Census in the last two years, with 68,102 boarding pupils now in independent schools.

The increases come in spite of the most challenging economic climate for decades. 

Overall pupil numbers fell by 0.2%, from 506,154 to 505,368, among the 1,228 schools which completed the Census in both 2010 and 2011.

There are now 24,554 non-British students at independent schools, whose parents live overseas. Of these, 38% were from Hong Kong and China and 34% were from Europe. The next highest share from a single country comes from Germany - 9.6%.

Year-on-year comparisons show the number of non-British pupils with parents resident overseas to have risen by 5.5%.

The growth has been predominantly based on the growing appeal of UK independent schools to parents living in Europe and Asia. The fastest growing markets are in Europe, the Middle East, Hong Kong and China. There has been a relative drop in the number of pupils from South Korea, Taiwan, the subcontinent and North America.

Among other findings: a 7.5% increase in the number of ISC pupils receiving means-tested bursaries and an average fee rise of 4.5%.

Responding to the Census findings, ISC Chief Executive David Lyscom said, “ISC independent schools are showing remarkable resilience against a difficult economic background, reflecting the high quality of education that our schools offer to parents, and the value for money that this represents. International comparisons continue to indicate that UK independent schools offer some of the best educational outcomes available. Especially pleasing is the rise in overseas pupil numbers, which shows the ability of our schools to attract high quality applicants from overseas in the face of fierce competition from other countries.

This underlines the importance of the UK having a proportionate visa regime which is capable of distinguishing between independent schools and their pupils and other student migrants. So we are pleased that the UK Border Agency has listened to ISC's message and has granted all independent schools automatic Highly Trusted Sponsor status.”