Pupils in private schools fall by 11,000

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June 9, 2025
2 min read

Pupils in private schools fall by 11,000

There were 11,000 fewer private school pupils in England this January compared with the same period last year, the latest school census data has revealed. The figures come as the government removed a VAT exemption for private schools in January.

A spokesperson for the government said that the drop in pupils “remains firmly within historical patterns,” adding that it “shatters the myth” of a private school exodus. But the schools disagreed, saying that more pupils than expected were leaving due to higher fees and more pressure on parents.

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The census of all schools in England provides more information on the independent schools sector, now that a 20% VAT on fees has been introduced. Overall, 582,477 pupils in England attended private schools, down from 593,486 the previous year. This is a drop of 1.9% or 11,009.

Overall, pupil numbers in England have slightly fallen to little over 9 million. The number of students not at a private school also fell by 0.6%.

Private school pupils are 6.4% of the total school population now, a small drop from the 6.5% they made up last year. This is the first time since the pandemic that these numbers have fallen.

The census data does not give clear reasons why this is the case.

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