The Independent Schools Association

Analysis

The Independent Schools Association is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Saffron Walden. It was registered in October 2014, 12 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, which this site groups under education and training. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00045867). It says it provides services, provides advocacy/advice/information and acts as an umbrella or resource body.

In the financial year ending August 2025, The Independent Schools Association reported income of £1.9m and spending of £1.9m, spending 100% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from August 2021 to August 2025, income grew from £1.1m to £1.9m (+74%), an average of +15% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to August 2022, when income rose by 24%. Over the whole period it spent 95% of the income it received.

Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, The Independent Schools Association sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 96th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Maharishi School Trust Limited (£1.9m), The Long Leys Education Trust (£1.9m) and The Oundle School Foundation (£1.9m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 92%, trading 6.5% and investments 1.4%. Charitable activities took 99% of spending and raising funds 0.6%. Reserves of £1.7m would cover about 11 months of spending at that rate. It employed 23 people.