Eton Group
The Eton Group is an association of 12 English independent schools within the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. There are, however, other schools with at least an equal educational reputation, for example members of the original group of schools defined by the Public Schools Act 1868 which, in addition to St Paul's School, Westminster School and Eton College includes Winchester College, Charterhouse School and Merchant Taylors' School. Five of the Clarendon Schools are grouped with others in the Rugby Group of schools.
The Eton Group schools often cooperate with each other, organising events and school matches. For example, the Heads of academic departments meet to discuss curriculum matters of common interest. The Headteachers and the Bursars also meet from time to time. Unlike the older Rugby Group, which contains only boarding schools, the Eton Group includes both provincial boarding schools and London schools taking day pupils.[1]
The 12 Eton Group schools are:[1]
- Bryanston School, Dorset
- Dulwich College, London
- Eton College, Berkshire
- Highgate School, London
- King's College School, London
- Marlborough College, Wiltshire
- Sherborne School, Dorset
- St Paul's School, London
- The King's School, Canterbury, Kent
- Tonbridge School, Kent
- University College School, London
- Westminster School, London
- Kingsthorpe College, Northampton
In 2003, following an investigation by The Sunday Times into the Eton Group and other schools, the UK Office of Fair Trading launched an investigation into alleged fee-fixing at independent schools.[2] The bursar of Eton College, Andrew Wynn, was quoted as saying: "We do meet and talk about fees to get some idea of what other schools are thinking. We are a co-operative bunch and we are not out to slit each other's throats."[3] The OFT concluded in 2005 that 50 schools, including seven in the Eton Group, had exchanged of detailed information about planned fee levels in a survey coordinated by Sevenoaks School.[4] The case was settled in 2006, with the schools admitting that such exchange of information "involved a distortion of competition and infringed competition law", but not admitting to any effect on fees. The schools each paid a £10,000 penalty, and agreed to make ex-gratia payments totalling £3 million to a trust to benefit pupils attending the schools in the relevant years.[5]
References
- ^ a b Walford, Geoffrey (1986). Life in public schools. Taylor & Francis. pp. 10–11. ISBN 978-0-416-37180-2.
- ^ Calvert, Jonathan; Winnett, Robert (21 September 2003). "Focus: Ripped off?". The Times. London. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ^ Winnett, Robert (23 October 2005). "Top public schools found guilty of fee-fixing cartel". The Times. London. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ^ "OFT issues statement of objections against 50 independent schools" (Press release). Office of Fair Trading. 9 November 2005. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ^ "Independent schools agree settlement" (Press release). Office of Fair Trading. 19 May 2006. Retrieved 5 November 2010.