In a months time, thousands of parents will gather in school halls and classrooms to vote for their representatives on school governing bodies (SGBs). As in any good political battle, there will be jostling for positions and plenty of promises. Once the ballots have been tallied, these parent representatives will meet with teaching and non-teaching staff and learner representatives, often after a work day or on a Saturday. The meetings will take place at least once a term, to discuss, argue and debate issues ranging from the maintenance of buildings to exemption from school fees.

Private schools are often more the subject of myth than the gruelling reality of schooling. One stereotypical image of private schools is of boys in peaked caps playing cricket on fields surrounded by enormous oaks against the backdrop of a beautiful Victorian building. It is picturesque but doesnt capture the spectrum of private or independent schools as they are defined in the South African Schools Act.