Best Schools - Independent Schools Council says Chinese investors can be the 'salvation' of struggling British priv

Chinese investors can be the “salvation” of struggling private schools and won’t “dilute” their English character, the former head master of Harrow has said.

Barnaby Lenon, who now chairs the Independent Schools Council, said people should be “jolly pleased” that the Chinese were buying up UK private schools, and that those who objected had failed to realise “they’ve got the money now, we haven’t”.

Speaking to Tes, Mr Lenon said he had personally witnessed this trend over the last three years, and that it was a “very encouraging development”.

He said that the schools targeted by Chinese investors are often small and offer boarding, and might otherwise struggle to stand on their own two feet.

“We know that the supply of UK parents who are available to afford boarding, which is by its very nature expensive, is limited,” he said.

“This obviously is the salvation of a small number of these schools. It’s a good thing for those schools because it means they can remain viable.”

Mr Lenon also said Chinese investment could be positive because it would presage the arrival of Chinese students, who are “often quite high quality”, and that it would help schools cultivate an international outlook.

“It gives UK pupils in those schools a sense of globalisation, which all children need to have these days,” he said.

Private schools stand to lose £37 million over five years in a “vindictive” attack on education that forms part of business rate reforms, it has been claimed.

The Scottish government yesterday published draft legislation that would remove charitable relief for the majority of independent schools. A review of the system by Ken Barclay, a former chairman of RBS, estimated the cost of such a plan at an annual £5 million for private schools. A financial memorandum published by ministers yesterday increased that to £7 million in the first year, rising in increments to £7.7 million by 2025. It amounts to £37 million over the first five years of the legislation from 2020.

John Edward, of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, called the proposals unfair and said bursaries for poorer pupils may have to be cut as a result. Dr John Halliday, the rector of the High School of Dundee, said: “To punish independent schools in this way is entirely vindictive.”

Independent schools with charitable status currently only have to pay 20 per cent of their rates bill and local authorities have discretion to charge them nothing at all. Liz Smith, the Scottish Conservative spokeswoman on education, said the bill “makes no sense whatsoever” and would make independent schools more elitist.