This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-38258454

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Private schools plan 10,000 free places for low-income pupils Private schools plan 10,000 free places for low-income pupils
(about 1 hour later)
Private schools will offer to provide up to 10,000 free places a year to low-income families in England.Private schools will offer to provide up to 10,000 free places a year to low-income families in England.
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) says if the government pays £5,550 per place - the cost in the state system - the schools will cover the rest. This is expected to cost up to £80m.The Independent Schools Council (ISC) says if the government pays £5,550 per place - the cost in the state system - the schools will cover the rest. This is expected to cost up to £80m.
Some pupils would be tested for academic ability but the scheme would not just target the brightest children.Some pupils would be tested for academic ability but the scheme would not just target the brightest children.
Chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw said the plan was not enough.Chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw said the plan was not enough.
The proposal, originally seen by the BBC and now confirmed, will be made in the ISC's response to a government consultation on the future of education.The proposal, originally seen by the BBC and now confirmed, will be made in the ISC's response to a government consultation on the future of education.
The scheme would be open to primary and secondary school-age children.The scheme would be open to primary and secondary school-age children.
However, details about which families would benefit and what form the tests would take are yet to be settled and the scheme could not take place without the government's approval. But details about which families would benefit and what form the tests would take are yet to be settled and the scheme could not take place without the government's approval.
Currently it costs an average of £30,000 to send a pupil to board and £15,500 for a day school for a year. This is a rise of more than 550% over the past 25 years.
'Tax privileges''Tax privileges'
The plan is designed to meet government demands that - in exchange for its tax-free, charitable status - the private education sector does more for potential pupils whose families cannot afford to pay the fees.The plan is designed to meet government demands that - in exchange for its tax-free, charitable status - the private education sector does more for potential pupils whose families cannot afford to pay the fees.
This status saves independent schools at least £150m a year.This status saves independent schools at least £150m a year.
But Sir Michael said the proposal did not go far enough, adding: "I think they can do better than that and if I was government I would be asking them to do more as a quid pro quo for their tax privileges."But Sir Michael said the proposal did not go far enough, adding: "I think they can do better than that and if I was government I would be asking them to do more as a quid pro quo for their tax privileges."
There are roughly 600,000 pupils in each year group in England, and private schools only educate 7% of the total school population. There are roughly 600,000 pupils in each year group in England, and private schools educate only 7% of the total school population.
The ISC says independent schools will also help set up new free schools and academies in areas identified as needing extra help by ministers.The ISC says independent schools will also help set up new free schools and academies in areas identified as needing extra help by ministers.
The government's Schools that Work for Everyone consultation, which set out plans for new grammar schools, included demands on independent schools.The government's Schools that Work for Everyone consultation, which set out plans for new grammar schools, included demands on independent schools.
It said they must support existing state schools, open new ones or offer funded places to children whose families could not afford fees.It said they must support existing state schools, open new ones or offer funded places to children whose families could not afford fees.
It proposed setting "benchmarks" for public schools, and suggested new legislation could see them stripped of their charitable status if they failed to reach those benchmarks.It proposed setting "benchmarks" for public schools, and suggested new legislation could see them stripped of their charitable status if they failed to reach those benchmarks.
'Crumbs off your tables''Crumbs off your tables'
The ISC said its offer would provide a number of school places equivalent to building 10 state secondary schools.The ISC said its offer would provide a number of school places equivalent to building 10 state secondary schools.
It says it already provides 40,000 bursaries worth £350m, but only 5,500 of these provide fully funded places.It says it already provides 40,000 bursaries worth £350m, but only 5,500 of these provide fully funded places.
Critics have often questioned whether private schools deserve to be charities. Critics have often questioned whether private schools deserve to be charities and the Charities Commission attempted to introduce a public benefit test requiring independent schools to offer free places to pupils from poor backgrounds.
In 2013, Sir Michael told them they were providing no more than the "crumbs off your tables" with support for state schools.In 2013, Sir Michael told them they were providing no more than the "crumbs off your tables" with support for state schools.
If put in place, the proposal would introduce a system similar in scale to the Assisted Places Scheme, which gave more than 75,000 pupils private educations between 1980 and 1998.If put in place, the proposal would introduce a system similar in scale to the Assisted Places Scheme, which gave more than 75,000 pupils private educations between 1980 and 1998.
It was scrapped by Labour to save money that Tony Blair's government said would be spent reducing class sizes in primary schools. Former Labour Education Secretary Estelle Morris said: "This is about a request to use state money, taxpayers' money, to extract the brightest children out of the comprehensive school system, skim them off, and put them into public schools."
Former Labour Education Secretary Estelle Morris said the proposal would "skim off" some of the brightest pupils from mixed-ability classrooms in the state sector. 'Big impact'
She added that many of these pupils would more than likely have done well in comprehensives anyway.She added that many of these pupils would more than likely have done well in comprehensives anyway.
But Barnaby Lenon, ISC chairman, said the free places would be welcomed by parents and would expand social mobility. But Barnaby Lenon, ISC chairman, said: "We are offering the prospect of jointly funded places - up to 10,000 a year.
A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "We welcome contributions to the consultation and will respond in due course." "It could have a very big impact on some areas and, in particular, on individual families."
Were you on the Assisted Places Scheme? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. He added that private schools already did a lot to aid education in the state sector, such as working in partnership with 10,000 state schools, and that they planned to set up new state schools as well.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said Labour had scrapped the Assisted Places Scheme to fund smaller infant class sizes.
·WhatsApp: +44 7525 900971 This was "a measure that helped millions of children rather than the handful that the Assisted Places Scheme supported," she said.
·Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay "Independent schools can and should do more to support state schools if they are to hold on to their business rates relief. I'm afraid promising places to a few children just doesn't cut it.
·Send an SMS or MMS to +44 7624 800 100 A spokesman for the Department for Education said it welcomed the contribution to its consultation and would respond in due course.
Or please use the form below: