Do 'many' private schools cost the same as a family holiday?

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has been criticised for comparing private school fees with the cost of a family holiday abroad.

Speaking in Parliament, she insisted "plenty" of families funded private education by saving on foreign trips.

But in response, the shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson tweeted that average annual private school fees were eight times the cost of a typical family holiday.

Who is right?

What did Ms Keegan say?

Ms Keegan was making a statement in the House of Commons on Monday after the government's announcement on reforms to higher education.

She was asked by the opposition about Labour's plans to end tax breaks for private schools.

The education secretary told MPs: "Most of our private schools aren't like Eton or Harrow - they're far smaller and they charge a lot less.

"Many cost the same as a family holiday abroad, and there's plenty of parents who choose to forego life's luxuries to give their children these opportunities."

How much do private schools cost?

Ms Keegan was correct to say the cost of attending private school in the UK varies - not all are as expensive as Eton College or Harrow School.

In 2022-23 Eton College charged students £15,432 per term, while Harrow School fees were £15,570. The annual cost for either of these schools would be nearly £50,000.

The average private school in the UK charged £15,200 per year in the same period, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

That is broadly in line with the £16,000 figure quoted by Ms Phillipson.

The IFS did note that there were cheaper private schools, with some costing less than £10,000 per year. Some of these are religious or foreign language schools.

Boarding schools tend to be more expensive than day schools because the fees include accommodation costs. Primary schooling is usually cheaper than secondary.

The Independent Schools Council - which represents more than 1,400 private schools in the UK and abroad - points out that some schools also offer financial support which reduces the fees paid.

How much does a family holiday abroad cost?

There is no single figure for what a holiday abroad would cost the average UK family. It depends on many factors such as the size of the family, the destination and the length of the trip.

The independent UK-based consumer rights company Which? compared the average price of package holidays in six of the most popular destinations for summer 2023.

It estimated that a seven-night holiday to Spain would cost £693 per person this summer. For a family of four this would be a total bill of £2,772.

Greece, the most expensive destination on the list, was estimated to cost £867 per person - or £3,468 for a family of four.

These figures would be slightly less if the family included children who were too young to need to pay for flights.

Ms Phillipson quoted a figure of £2,000.

There have been other estimates of what families might spend on holidays for a whole year. A 2018 Expedia survey suggested an average figure of £4,800.

Are private school costs comparable to going on a family holiday?

A spokesperson for Gillian Keegan has since told BBC Verify she was mainly referring to termly private school costs.

But even the average termly cost - about £5,100 - is likely to be higher than the average cost of a single holiday abroad.

The annual cost of attending private school - more than £15,000 - would be far higher.

Some private schools charge less than this average, but Ms Keegan said "many" schools cost the same as a family holiday abroad.

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