Strong community support for independent schools
The survey was conducted in December 2009. Key findings include:
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independent schools carry a very positive image across the population: 75% expressed positive views
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general support for independent schools has significantly increased in the past decade
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if fees were not an issue, 4 in 10 parents of children currently attending government schools would prefer to send them to independent schools
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misconceptions persist around schools funding: 58% believed independent schools receive the same or more government funding per student than those at public schools
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70% rejected the notion that independent schools should not receive financial support from governments (up from 51% in in a 2001 survey that asked a similar question)
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88% agreed that our education system should have a mix of schools provided by both the government and non-government sectors.
