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Future-proof your
independent school
in 2025
Retain pupils. Prove your value. Stay financially sustainable.
Independent schools are facing a new reality
The ISC Census 2025 shows a sector under pressure:
- 13,000 fewer pupils (a 2.4% drop) in one year
- £1.5 billion in bursary funding, with more than a third of students receiving assistance
Generosity is rising, but revenue is falling. Schools can’t simply rely on bursaries to compete. They need to adapt—strengthening relationships with families, offering more personalised learning, and managing budgets with precision.
That’s where Access Education Suite comes in.
We're with you every step of the way
Keep Families Confident
Our parental engagement tools make it simple to share updates on academic progress, fees, and extracurricular activities, helping parents feel informed and invested in your school.
Differentiate Your Learning Experience
With Access GCSEPod, students can access flexible, engaging content that supports independent study and exam preparation—making your school stand out to families seeking tailored education.
Operate Smarter, Not Leaner
Access Education’s HR and finance solutions help schools streamline operations, manage budgets, and optimise staffing—so you can control costs without cutting into student experience.
Five ways to protect enrolment and budgets in 2025 and beyond
Download for free
This practical guide explores what school leaders can do now to adapt and stay ahead—without compromising quality, values, or long-term vision.
Inside the guide:
- How to make parental engagement a core retention strategy
- Ways to differentiate through flexible, personalised learning
- What operational efficiencies can really deliver impact
- How to use data to demonstrate value to current and prospective families
- Why some schools are adapting—and others are closing
Whether you're a head, bursar or SLT member, this guide will help you take confident steps to strengthen your school’s position in a changing market.
Read: The Challenges Facing Independent Schools in 2025
With pupil numbers falling, bursary costs climbing, and competition growing from all sides, 2025 is shaping up to be a defining year for the independent sector.
In this article, we explore:
- Why over 13,000 pupils have left the sector in just one year
- How rising bursary spend (£1.5bn) is creating new financial strain
- What’s driving the wave of independent school closures in 2025
- What forward-thinking school leaders are doing to respond
Whether you’re already feeling the impact or want to get ahead of the curve, this is a must-read breakdown of where things stand—and what to do next.
Watch: Future-proofing your school budget
On-demand webinar
In today’s climate of rising costs and changing funding landscapes, school budgets are under unprecedented pressure. This 45-minute webinar, led by Education Software Expert Michelle Sadler, offers independent school leaders clear insights and practical tools to take control.
In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:
- Use Access Education Budgets to forecast and reforecast over multiple years
- Plan a range of what‑if financial scenarios to guide strategic decisions
- Quickly create reports for staff, governors, and trustees — saving time and increasing clarity
Join a community of 9,000+ schools already using Access Education tools to manage their finances with precision and confidence.
Further resources to help your school navigate 2025
Stay informed with expert insights and tools designed to help independent schools respond to sector challenges.
Independent school budgeting software Vs spreadsheets
Building a business case for an independent school HR system
Transforming financial planning with Access Education Budgets
Simplifying parent communication and data management
Transformative results in Science!
Simplified operations
The value lies in having one tool that handles so many tasks efficiently.
Read customer story
Teaching and attainment - levelled up!
[Access GCSEPod] helps deliver better quality teaching, better learning, and better results.
Bringing everything together
It was clear that we had the right tools at our fingertips, but we weren’t making the most of them. Once we aligned everything within Access MySchoolPortal, the difference was night and day—everything just started to click.
