Pupil Numbers
Pupil numbers and demographic trends
| SCIS Schools | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Pupils | 31,540 | 31,425 | 31,358 | 31,146 |
| Total Number of Day Pupils | 27,885 | 27,850 | 27,862 | 27,705 |
| Total Number of Boarding Pupils | 3,655 | 3,575 | 3,496 | 3,441 |
As at 2 September 2013 there were 31,146 pupils in independent schools in membership of SCIS. 1,722 children are in nurseries, 10,805 pupils are in primary schools and 18,619 are in senior schools. This means that the independent sector is equivalent in size to the 7th largest local authority in Scotland.
Figures have remained stable over the past decade, which is remarkable, given the impact of the recession elsewhere, and this points to the high levels of confidence that parents have in independent schools. Another factor is the means-tested financial assistance that independent schools distribute to widen access.
Around £35 million has been awarded consistently in recent years, to families unable to avoid the full fees – comparable to philanthropic giving in the much bigger higher education sector in Scotland.
Boarding schools have seen a recent rise in the number of enquiries, partly attributed to a new web portal at www.scotlandsboardingschools.org.uk launched by SCIS over the summer. The site promotes Scotland as a destination for overseas students.
John Edward, SCIS Director, said, “Any parent who pays school fees will confirm the outlay is worthwhile if their children are happy at school, and this is undoubtedly a key reason that pupil numbers in our sector have remained stable, alongside the financial assistance that schools allocate to widen access.”
See the full 2013 SCIS media release about pupil numbers, issued on 23 September 2013, here.
- 2012 SCIS Pupil Numbers analysis MASTER 434 KB
- International Pupils in SCIS Schools 2012 576 KB
- Pupil Numbers in SCIS Schools as at 1 September 2011 283 KB
- International Pupils in SCIS Schools 2011 396 KB
- Pupil numbers by Local Authority area 2011 451 KB
- Pupil Numbers in SCIS schools as at 1 September 2010 317 KB
- International Pupils in SCIS Schools 2010 479 KB
- Pupil Numbers by Local Authority area 2010 448 KB
- Pupil Numbers by School type - whether mainstream or special 326 KB
- International Pupils in SCIS Schools 2009 475 KB
- Pupil numbers by Local Authority area 2009 530 KB
- Pupil Numbers in SCIS Schools - nursery, primary, secondary, day and boarding with tables and charts showing stability over the last decade 381 KB
- Boarding and day pupil numbers by school type 205 KB
- International Pupils in SCIS Schools as at September 2008 - facts, stats and charts 277 KB
- International Pupils in SCIS Schools as at September 2008 - numbers and countries 195 KB
- Pupil Numbers in SCIS Schools by region as a percentage of the total pupil population 315 KB
- 2012 Local Authority comparisons by region2 565 KB
Pupil numbers in the independent sector have remained stable over the last decade, despite recession and a decrease in Scotland's total pupil population
