It is the operational head of the school who applies for membership. If successful, the school is accredited as an IAPS school and the head becomes a member of IAPS.

In order to become a full member, the following requirements must be met, in addition to the requirements for each category as set out below:

  • The school will demonstrate the importance it attaches to educating pupils from 3 to 13 or 3 to 11.
  • The member will be appropriately qualified (higher education qualification).
  • The school complies with the law and offers all employees a pension scheme.  For teachers, the best possible scheme might be the Government Teachers’ Pension Scheme, always recognising that market conditions and prevailing provision in the independent sector may vary from this. For schools overseas, the school confirms that it abides to the requirements within the government of the country, for pension provision of its staff.
  • All members of teaching staff are offered salaries in writing that are reasonable, taking into account market conditions and prevailing rates of pay in the independent sector.
  • The school is of at least a good standard – compliant and achieving good or above in gradings from inspection. For schools overseas, ideally inspected by an inspectorate recognised by the British Government for the inspection of British Schools Overseas (BSO).
  • The school is able to demonstrate to IAPS that it is financially viable by providing audited accounts on request and/or the School business plan.

Head - Full member

The full member will have day to day responsibility for the running of the school, or the part of the school which encompasses some or all of the core age range of 3 to 13, either reporting directly to the governors, or through the principal or head of the senior school. Fees are by band based on pupil numbers.

Principal - Full member

The full member shall be the head of an all through school who has direct responsibility for pupils within a linked junior/prep school.

In an all through school where there is also a head of the junior/prep section that meets the criteria for head membership, that junior/prep head shall become a full member in order for the principal to come into full membership. In these circumstances, the principal’s membership fee would be 50% of the head’s subscription fee.

Executive Head - Full member

Shall oversee a number of schools, of which at least one of the eligible schools and their head are or can be full members of IAPS. Prior to the executive head's membership being granted, the head of the eligible school must secure full membership in the category of head/principal. The executive head’s membership is 50% of the head's/principal's subscription fee.

Senior Leader

The senior leader member will have a prominent leadership role within the part of the school encompassing some or all of the age range 3 to 13, for example deputy head or director of studies. The school must already have a full member in membership. The senior leader membership is 25% of the full members fee.

Honorary member

A full/retired member or person who, in the opinion of the Board, has provided exceptional service to prep school education.

Retired member

The member will have been a full member of IAPS. One-off membership fee £375.