The 2022 Boarding Survey of Chinese Parents, produced by the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) in partnership with the British Association of Independent Schools with International Students ( BAISIS ) and Chinese education specialists Connexcel, was based on a survey of 1,100 parents of current students at UK independent schools or those due to begin in the next two years, and builds on a first report released last year during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Agencies: Agents were ranked as the most important source of information in the study abroad process, cited by 85 per cent of parents, up from 74 per cent in the previous survey. Other key sources of information were school websites (66), and recommendations from friends/family (34).
The authors found that 80 per cent of prospective parents intend to apply through an agency, compared with 65 per cent in the previous survey, suggesting increased reliance on agencies in the post-pandemic period.
When asked the key factors in choosing an agent, all parents cited the professionalism of the agency, and almost all (99) cited provision of guardianship services as well as school applications as important. Ninety-six per cent said local accreditation was important, and 79 per cent said the agency being registered in the UK was important.
Study abroad motivations: The authors found that the main reason for choosing to study abroad was the offer of a more rounded education than is available in China, cited by 85 per cent – an increase compared with 77 per cent previously. This was followed by pressure from the Chinese education system (57 per cent, up from 40 in the previous survey), and a greater chance of entering a top world university (45 per cent, compared with 33 previously).
Recent changes in China’s education policy, such as the ‘double reduction’ ban on private tutoring, has affected study abroad plans for some parents, with 34 per cent saying that they were bringing forward plans for their children.
Previous study experience: Almost four in ten (39.4 per cent) of the students in/coming to the UK previously studied at an international school in China, and a further 29.6 per cent were at a private school. Just over a quarter (25.3) attended a state school in China, while the remainder (5.7 per cent) went to an international branch within a state school.
School choices: In choosing an actual institution, 98.5 per cent said matching a school to the child’s talents was important, followed by league tables/university admissions (96.7), experience of looking after international students (94.8), and school facilities (93.9).
Positive impact: Current parents said that studying at a UK independent school had had a positive impact, with 85 per cent saying that their child had become more self-reliant and mature in their outlook as a result of their study experience, while 80 per cent they were ‘a much better independent thinker’.
Robin Fletcher, CEO of BSA and BSA Group, said, “UK boarding enjoys an enviable reputation all over the world. It has a long and proud tradition of welcoming international students, from China and across the globe, and we’re delighted this study indicates that if schools continue to meet parents’ and students’ needs, this will continue to be the case.”
Covid-19: Current parents were largely satisfied with the way that UK schools handled the Covid-19 pandemic, with scores highest for pastoral care (90 per cent satisfied) and campus safety (86), but lowest for communication with parents (60).
Among prospective students’ parents, 43 per cent said that the UK is ‘back to normal’ so there was no impact on their study plans, and a further 31 per cent said plans remain unchanged because education abroad cannot wait. Only six per cent expressed intentions to postpone, with none expecting to abandon – down from 5.5 per cent in the previous survey.
John Zhang, Co-Founder of Connexcel Ltd, said, “The challenges faced by families during the Covid-19 pandemic remain vividly in our minds as we return to normal in the UK and seek stable international arrangements going forward. Last year’s survey suggested that UK boarding schools largely satisfied, and in many cases exceeded parental expectations, whilst prospective parents remained somewhat uncertain. That position is changing dramatically as confidence grows once more and the advantages of a great British boarding education are made possible.”
Guardianships: Guardianships were also highlighted as important for Chinese parents, with 74 per cent citing certification of a guardianship agency by AEGIS or the BSA as the most important factor in selecting a provider. The vast majority of current parents (95 per cent) were satisfied with the performance of their guardianship provider.
The ability to deal with emergency situations was voted as the most valuable guardianship service, cited by 90 per cent of respondents, followed by communication between school and parents (51) and availability (45).
Robin added, “This report provides an important snapshot of Chinese parents’ views and, especially taken together with last year’s results, will clearly inform UK boarding schools what they are doing well in terms of recruiting Chinese students, and what parents and students are looking for when making their choices.”
Further reading: Click here to access the full report, which features more data on student backgrounds, parental choices and satisfaction, makes a number of recommendations to schools on working with agents, and features quotes from providers including the Abbey DLD Colleges , Mill Hill and Strathallan School .
BSA represents mor than 500 boarding schools and was a finalist in the School Association category of the StudyTravel Secondary School Awards earlier this year.
The StudyTravel Secondary School Awards feature categories for schools, agencies, associations, guardianship providers and other service providers in the high school sector, and the voting period for the 2023 edition of the awards is currently open.
