Headmistress at top private school Roedean to quit UK over hostile attitudes The Oxford-educated headmistress said: "It is quite hard work to continue to be always on the negative side of public opinion. We are putting our heart, soul and effort into this provision. We are making sure we have got a good amount of money put into bursaries and, as much as we can afford in our situation, we are trying to ensure we are widening access. But it is difficult providing top quality education whilst feeling that the whole country is against you, she complained. Her comments echo those of Vicky Tuck, former headmistress of Cheltenham Ladies' College. She left the £31,000-a-year girls' school in the summer of 2011 after 14 years at the helm to take charge of the International School of Geneva, saying she had been made to feel that running a private school in England was "slightly immoral." Anthony Seldon, the master of Wellington College in Berkshire, said last week that there was "jealousy and hostility" towards privately educated publics, describing positive discrimination to favour state school pupils was "the hatred that dare not speak its name." Public school was once seen as the most reliable route into the top universities but this year Cambridge reduced its intake from independent schools by 200 places, with 63 per cent now coming from the state sector. Many elite institutions across Britain have reportedly agreed to official targets which could see public school pupils turned away in favour of similarly bright state school pupils with lower grades. It means that while parents would once desperately fight to send their children to the best independent school they could afford, some are now withdrawing them at 16 to avoid tarnishing their application form. After taking over Roedean five years ago Mrs King oversaw a merger with St Mary's Hall senior school, Brighton. The sale of the site for £10million helped get the finances back into shape. She was previously head of Heathfield School for Girls in Ascot, where she also oversaw a merger, and the latest career move will allow her to see another model of education, she said. She predicted more closures or mergers of private schools. Being "blunt" she admitted that there are probably too many boarding schools left over from the days of British Empire, when children were sent home to be educated. The attitudes have now changed and many parents have decided they want their children at home with them. Strong schools like Roedean will continue to thrive but others will be forced to close their doors. The school, which charges more than £30,000 a year for senior boarders, has faced dwindling admissions in recent years as the recession hit domestic demand and attitudes towards single-sex schools changed. Mrs King faced controversy when she admitted that half the pupils at the school, which educates girls" aged from 11 to 18, are now foreign. But other private schools will also be forced to recruit from abroad to survive the current climate, she believes. She is one of several heads of independent schools leaving to run schools overseas. Christopher Ray, the high master of Manchester Grammar, has announced he will run the British (Embassy) School in Abu Dhabi from the summer. Helen Wright, headmistress of St Mary's Calne in Wiltshire, left last month to take charge of Ascham School in Sydney, Australia. Nick Clegg, himself privately educated, hinted yesterday that he would send his eldest son to a private school but accepted his decision would "be subject to public commentary, criticism and so on."