Shop now with AFIS
Browse here for exclusive offers for AFIS members on clothing, travel, events and much more.
Shop now with AFIS
Browse here for exclusive offers for AFIS members on clothing, travel, events and much more.
The Association for Families of Independent Schooling (AFIS) is a not-for-profit, membership organisation committed to empowering and supporting families who believe in the benefits of U.K. Independent education and British international schooling. We champion parental choice, wider access and fairer representation for independent schooling families, and provide a range of practical benefits to our members and partner schools.
Our members make up a significant and influential community. In the U.K. alone:
pupils currently at private schools in the U.K.
families in the U.K. today have chosen U.K. Independent schools
(8% of the adult population) were private school pupils
deliver independent education in the UK
Join our growing community of AFIS families and schools today
Join AFIS for FreeEnjoy access to valuable resources, offers, and community features
Share your experiences and insights, and contribute to key research that helps build a more balanced and informed national conversation about families who choose independent education.
Read MoreA range of valuable tools and resources, including expert insights via podcasts, webinars, blogs, product and service reviews, and special interest groups, to help strengthen parent–school partnerships and support children's learning even further.
Read MoreA proportion of AFIS revenue is allocated to two grant-funding schemes designed to widen access to independent schooling and to reduce the likelihood that member families will need to withdraw their children from the schools they love due to financial pressures.
Read More
To help fund our vital work, keep AFIS membership free for all families and schools, and support our community in saving money, the AFIS online Shopping Centre brings together a specially curated collection of fantastic deals from leading brands as well as small producers and fabulous artisans.
Read MoreReady to access all these member benefits?
Become a Member TodayShare your experiences and insights, and contribute to key research that helps build a more balanced and informed national conversation about families who choose independent education.
Across the UK, families who value independent education are facing new challenges — rising costs, polarised debate and increasing pressures on schools. Yet their voices are still too often absent from the national conversation.
This growing divide around independent schools is harmful to families, children and society. One of the most constructive steps we can take is to strengthen the quality and integrity of the data that shapes this debate.
Our members contribute to our regular AFIS Parent Polls by answering just 3 simple questions each time, about a hot topic related to education, parenting or schools.
These polls run for just a short time and the results are analysed by our Head of Research SETH THOMAS and shared with our members and our partner schools.
Parent PollsBy sharing our members' personal stories, we can foster a more balanced debate and challenge stereotypes or biased reporting.
Every family's journey is unique. Your experience can help others understand what independent education really means for families like yours.
Those opposed to independent schooling often target private schools, as elitist institutions, relying on selective research or opinion pieces. By highlighting the authentic experiences of AFIS families — their reasons for choosing independent education and the values that underpin that choice — we can humanise the debate and bring greater balance to the conversation.
AFIS is committed to gathering and amplifying real family voices, putting faces and stories behind the statistics.
If you'd like to share your experience, please email members@afis.org.uk and we will be in touch.
AFIS is partnering with leading British universities and commissioning rigorous, independent research to provide the data needed to:
Members can join our Special Interest Groups, bringing their personal experiences and expertise to champion the issues that matter most to them. These groups meet monthly to explore how AFIS can better support these areas — generating ideas for new or improved member services, research projects, PR campaigns, and fundraising initiatives.
We welcome suggestions for additional topics or issues we should support through new groups. Please email: michelle@afis.org.uk
AFIS members are helping to shift the narrative and strengthen the sector for the future by taking part in our regular parent polls, sharing their stories and contributing to our in-depth research studies.
Our information hub offers members a range of valuable tools and resources, including expert insights via webinars, podcasts, blogs and Q&A sessions, to help strengthen parent–school partnerships and support children's learning even further.
Helpful webinars, regional conferences and seminars
School news and open day dates and information (coming soon)
(coming soon)
Regular updates on events, special offers for members, news and AFIS research projects
Support and advice about parenting, school selection and bespoke advice from other credible, vetted services
Q and A for parents to ask our panel of "secret headteachers" questions about independent schooling and education in general (coming soon)
A proportion of AFIS revenue is allocated to two grant-funding schemes designed to widen access to independent schooling and to reduce the likelihood that member families will need to withdraw their children from the schools they love due to financial pressures.
We know many families are finding it increasingly difficult to manage school fees and associated expenses — especially with the added burden of VAT. (Savings through the AFIS Shopping Centre can also help to offset some of these costs.)
Financial pressures can create stress at home and, all too often, force parents to move their children to different schools, disrupting established routines, friendships and support networks. Such changes are unsettling for families and disruptive to children's education.
That's why the AFIS™ community is coming together to create a ringfenced fund dedicated to supporting member families who need a little extra help.
We provide grants towards school fees to create more school places for children from all backgrounds, so they can benefit from the high-quality education, supportive environments, and enriching opportunities offered by British independent schools.
AFIS members, partner schools and parent associations can apply to AFIS for grants that further our mission.
For more information
Please contact michelle@afis.org.uk
To help fund our vital work, keep AFIS membership free for all eligible families and schools, and support our community in saving money, the AFIS online Shopping Centre brings together a specially curated collection of fantastic deals from leading brands as well as small producers and fabulous artisans.
To support AFIS, lots of fabulous companies are offering perks and discounts to AFIS members on everything from books and shoes to holidays and accommodation.
Each time our AFIS members shop through the unique AFIS Shopping Centre, not only do they have access to exclusive special offers, but our partner brands contribute a small percentage of each purchase towards the work of AFIS. These contributions turn everyday shopping into meaningful support for families in independent education and helps to keep our membership FREE for all our families.
✓ Importantly, members never pay higher prices or lose access to public offers or loyalty rewards.
The contributions from our retail partners support our research and advocacy work, our Schooling Costs Fund, our Bursary Support Fund, and our operational costs. All profits are reinvested into AFIS, as a not-for-profit community interest company.
To fund our work and keep membership free, we rely on revenue from donations, grants and our online shopping centre.
Donate TodayWe want AFIS membership to remain free for all families and schools, ensuring participation is accessible to everyone and enabling us to build a large and inclusive community. The more families and schools who join, the stronger and more representative our collective voice becomes, improving our ability to advocate for the sector, shape public understanding, and secure better outcomes for families.
This growth in turn fuels a virtuous circle: a larger, more engaged membership increases the reach and value of AFIS services, enabling us to provide greater financial and practical support to more families and strengthen the independent schooling sector for future generations. And as more people join and shop through the AFIS Shopping Centre, we raise additional funds in a sustainable way, reducing reliance on donations and further powering the cycle of support, participation, and impact.
If you believe in our purpose and the work we do, and are able to make a one-off or regular donation to support the association, please do so here:
Donate TodayOur Advisory Panel is a vital part of our work. This voluntary group of parents, collaborating with education and parenting experts and school leaders, helps to shape and enhance our services, strengthen engagement with all stakeholders, and support the achievement of our goals.
The panel meets monthly to share ideas and perspectives for the benefit of the entire AFIS community and also establishes Special Interest Groups for our members.
Interested in joining?
If you would like more information, please email members@afis.org.uk
Members of our Special Interest Groups bring their personal experiences and expertise to champion the issues that matter most to them. The groups meet monthly to explore how AFIS can better support these areas, generating ideas and plans for research projects, PR campaigns, fundraising initiatives, and enhanced benefits for members and partner schools.
We welcome suggestions for additional topics
If you have ideas for new groups or issues we should support, please email michelle@afis.org.uk
Championing parental choice, wider access and fairer representation for independent schooling families.
AFIS and Association for Families of Independent Schooling are registered trademarks of AFIS UK LTD.
The Association for Families of Independent Schooling (AFIS) C.I.C. is a community interest company, incorporated in England and Wales, company number 16817786.