UK Private Schools Report Increased Interest From Gulf Families

UK private schools are seeing increased interest from families based in the Gulf who are seeking education options outside the region after the outbreak of war in the Middle East. Iran’s barrage of missiles and drones, launched in response to US-Israeli attacks, affected the sense of security in expatriate communities in the United Arab Emirates.

One family that had been on holiday in Scotland in February chose not to return and enrolled three children at St Leonards School in St Andrews for the summer term. The headteacher of the school said people were discussing regional instability, school closures and the move to online learning.

Enquiries from the Middle East to the roughly 500-pupil boarding school have risen from the usual two or three a year to 12. The school charges up to £22,770 a year for day pupils and £54,420 for boarders. The school has also received a record number of speculative applications from teachers based in the Middle East.

Iranian strikes have reduced the appeal of the low-tax UAE for some foreign workers. About 30,000 British expats, or one in eight of the resident British population, either left the UAE at the start of the war or delayed their return from holidays. Many have since returned to the Gulf and schools have reopened.

However, Iranian strikes on the UAE on May 4 revived concerns and led to a temporary return to online learning. One parent said no one wanted children in school if there was a risk of missiles.

A significant contraction in the UK private school sector has created additional places for pupils from the Gulf. The UK government imposed VAT on school fees last year, after which some parents moved their children to state schools. Some private schools have closed or merged, leaving capacity at about 65 per cent in mid-market institutions.