Independent school

[ROBINDESBOIS]

I Know Independent School and private school in England are synonyms. IS there a difference in sth?

[pjt33]

No they aren't. "Private school" is an Americanism. The near-synonyms in British English are "independent school" and "public school" (which in AmE means something else); I would say that all public schools are independent schools, but not all independent schools are public schools; the difference being that public schools are the older (and generally more expensive) independent schools.

[hermit]

Right on PJT - in American and Canadian English, tuition in "private schools" is paid by the students' families.

"Public School" (attendance through age 16 compulsory in both countries)
tuition paid through municipal, state and federal taxes.

[ROBINDESBOIS]

In Spain is like in America, but I don´t still quite understand the difference between public and independent schools. or maybe is just a question of Time.

[pjt33]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_school_%28privately_funded%29

[ROBINDESBOIS]

I don´t see the difference but thank you anyway. Maybe that public schools are more expensive than independent schools? I guess the types of teaching is the same.

[CrOtALiTo]

For example here in Mexico are free school, they are paid for the government.