Interview with Barnaby Lenon: The current state of the independent schools sector

EdQuarter Presents: The Education Station

Barnaby Lenon began his career in 1978 teaching geography at Eton College and is currently the chairman of the Independent Schools Council. On the topic of the current state of the independent schools sector, we asked him whether demand for independent schools had changed since the pandemic, the financial toll of freezing fees and the biggest challenges facing heads.

The big question was whether the independent schools sector is stronger or more vulnerable than ever. “It’s clearly very strong in some ways”, said Lenon, highlighting the sector’s “very good education”, “excellent value for money” and “tremendous historic continuity”.

However, Lenon continued: “Politically we’re vulnerable – we don’t have enough friends – financially we’re vulnerable because we know that our fees over the last 15-20 years have risen too fast, so we’ve lost some middle-income parents, but otherwise I think we’re in good shape.”