Sencillo-ISA Partnership Offers £1 Billion in Fee Financing to Families at Over 800 Independent Schools

The Independent Schools Association (ISA) has selected Sencillo, an AI-powered education finance platform, as its exclusive preferred partner for fees financing, making £1 billion in funding available to families at more than 800 ISA member schools. The partnership allows parents to spread the cost of fees over the long term, with the service free for both schools and parents, and schools paid in full and in advance.

Since January 2025, the independent sector has been hit by a "triple whammy" of tax changes: 20% VAT on fees, the loss of schools' charitable business rates relief, and higher employer National Insurance contributions. The impact is felt by families and providers.

According to the Independent Schools Council (ISC), fees for parents rose 22.6% in a single year once VAT was added. Average day fees now stand at around £22,400 a year including VAT.

Government figures estimate the number of pupils at independent schools in England fell by more than 22,000 in the year to January 2026, to 560,255, the lowest level in at least a decade. More than 100 independent schools have closed, including the 106-year-old Rendcomb College in the Cotswolds.

Sencillo partners with schools to pay the child's fees in full and upfront. Families then repay over a longer term through Sencillo's FCA-regulated lending partners, with planning tools that help them plan and manage the journey, showing families the full cost of their child's education from nursery to university.

Sencillo's model helps ease the school's operational and financial burdens while supporting admissions and retention efforts. Schools pay nothing, don't have to chase debt, carry no liability on their balance sheet, and receive money upfront. Reduced admin also helps schools to be more operationally efficient.

The service has been live with schools since September. The partnership launches ahead of ISA's Autumn Leaders Conference on 18 and 19 November in Kenilworth, where hundreds of heads and senior school leaders from ISA member schools are expected to gather.

Adam Amos, CEO and founder of Sencillo, said: "Education costs continue to rise and with VAT now on fees, families are more squeezed than ever. Collaborating with The ISA and their Schools means we can give thousands of parents a clear plan and the option to pay fees in a responsible way, so their children can stay in the school they love."

Rudolf Eliott Lockhart, CEO of the Independent Schools Association, said: "Sencillo provides an alternative way of funding school fees that could transform the independent sector. We highly recommend that heads and bursars look at it to see if it could work for their current and prospective parent bodies."