There are more than 700 independent boarding schools in the UK. Of these, 550 are members of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) and inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). Accreditation by ISI guarantees that the quality of the school has been assessed and confirmed by rigorous inspection, as a condition of ISC membership - so it's a good idea to check whether a school is part of this scheme. In addition, all independent schools must be registered with the government and meet minimum legal requirements for the premises, accommodation, staffing, instruction and pupil welfare.

Independent colleges have their own membership scheme, run by the Conference for Independent Further Education (CIFE). CIFE colleges are regularly inspected and accredited, either by the British Accreditation Council (BAC) or the Independent Schools Council (ISC). Child protection measures operate in all accredited UK schools and colleges.