Tightening budgets mean schools and academies are becoming increasing innovative in developing new income streams - from providing catering services to other schools, hiring out school premises during the holidays or creating social businesses run by pupils.
But what about successful academy chains setting up overseas fee paying schools?
As ‘The Guardian’ notes, this is not a completely new idea. Overseas branches of the top public schools, like Harrow, Wellington and Dulwich College, have been established for a number of years. It wouldn’t be a surprise if large academy chains, such as the Academies Enterprise Trust who run more than 60 schools, were tempted to investigate this as an opportunity to raise funds and enhance their national and international profile in the education sector.
Whilst there is a risk that ‘fees and the for-profit motive’ might ‘start to infiltrate the domestic market’, arguably it could help to subsidise funding of education in the UK and create a greater opportunity for international education collaboration.