Now that the school summer holidays are well underway, you might expect school halls and corridors across the country to lie empty as the buzz of exam season dies down and children enjoy a break from the books.
But for many independent schools, the summer months can be just as busy as the rest of the academic year.
Some schools will be carrying out building work or upgrading their facilities. Jobs such as deep cleaning and grounds maintenance also need to be completed in preparation for students' return in September.
For St Leonards-Mayfield, a highly-regarded girls' school in Sussex, July and August provide a great opportunity to showcase the school and make their wonderful facilities available to a wider group of children.
Its summer school is attended by 10 to 15 year-olds from across the world, who are provided with full board at the school. They can join organised coach excursions to some of UK's most historic towns and cities and take advantage of the school's enviable sporting facilities, including tennis courts and heated swimming pool. They are also provided with an extensive evening social programme.
Mayfield's on-site equestrian centre is open throughout the year so its students can spend the summer months honing their riding skills. The schools' facilities are made available to children from across the community too. And you can even hire out its magnificent dining hall and grounds if you are planning a summer wedding.
In these more austere times, many schools are keen to make the most of their facilities and ensure they earn their keep right the way through the year. But running a summer activity programme smoothly alongside the important jobs that need to be done to get the school ready for the new academic year can be quite a task.
Many schools engage private providers to manage their summer activity plan. This takes the headache out of running the programme but there will still be finances to manage and facilities to co-ordinate.
The techniques that most schools use to manage the school day during term-time can help take the hard work out of this. Schools also use technology to automate many of the processes involved in balancing the books, such as allocating budgets and paying events organisers via Bacs transfer.
It is essential that schools run their businesses as efficiently as possible and making the best use of all their facilities by opening their doors throughout the summer months helps them achieve this.
Why not find out what opportunities your local independent schools are providing this summer? It'll keep the kids entertained and give you a chance to see what's on offer. It might even help to spark a new interest for someone in your family.