Voucher system may encourage private school applications

Parents need financial incentives to encourage them to enrol their kids at private school, an expert believes.

Private school fees are putting many parents off enrolling their children at the institutions, Nick Seaton, spokesman from the Campaign for Real Education has stated.

However, by introducing a voucher system, the expert believes that teaching contractors in the private sector will see more pupils passing through their doors.

"The government should give back to parents the annual cost of their child's education and let them spend it at the state or private school of their choice," he suggested.

Mr Seaton revealed that a similar system is already on offer in the US, albeit on a small scale, which could provide a model for the UK to follow.

A voucher system would mean that if parents want to send their children to a more expensive school, then they can top up the fees with their own money.

Research from Schroders shows that 29 per cent of people already paying for private education have considered stopping or reducing pay due to the economic downturn.