Tens of thousands of independent school pupils are regularly involved in community action projects which show the way to responsible citizenship, according to a survey carried out for the Independent Schools Council (ISC).

Questions are now being asked increasingly about the 'public benefit' delivered by independent schools, a requirement for charitable status. A forthcoming major report by the Performance and Innovation Unit is expected to comment on this key issue. The ISC survey, which has been made available to the Prime Minister’s review team provides one powerful indication of its member schools' public benefit.

Hundreds of school-based projects, including help for the elderly, disabled and homeless, work with local primary schools, hospital visiting, environmental projects and holiday and after-school activities, were amongst those described in the biggest-ever survey of community service in ISC schools.

Nearly 600 schools, including more than 150 preparatory schools, responded to the survey. Between them, they identified nearly 2,500 separate projects, an average of more than four projects per school.

Publication of the survey marks the ISC's taking over responsibility for the co-ordination and support of community service in all its member schools from the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), which for years pioneered community service.

The Rev. Tim Hastie-Smith, headmaster of Dean Close School, Cheltenham, who chairs the new ISC community service committee, commented: "The results of the survey underline the overwhelming commitment to service to the community and the teaching of responsibility and citizenship that lie at the heart of most independent schools.

"Long before the Government's admirable initiative in this area, independent schools have been showing the way that the teaching of responsible citizenship can be central to a school’s mission. This provides yet another great opportunity for partnership between the independent and state sectors."

The survey showed that:

• Help for the elderly, either in residential homes (51%) or in their own homes (25%), constituted the largest type of community service project.
• Nearly half of all respondents (48%) had projects involving helping in local primary schools.
• Large numbers of schools organised projects helping the disabled: 36% with children and 21% with adults.
• Three out of ten schools (29%) organised projects involving environmental work.
• Four out of ten (40%) had projects which brought outsiders in to use school facilities.
• In most schools, community action was voluntary and extra-curricular, but in nearly one in five schools (18%) it had a place in the curriculum, and in one in ten (11%) it was compulsory.

Examples of community service projects in schools include:

James Allen’s Girls' School (London SE22): Set up by Southwark Community Education Council in September 1997, the Southwark Literacy Scheme involves almost 40 JAGS Year 11 and 12 girls helping primary pupils from seven local LEA schools who are failing to reach the standard required to pass their SATS in reading and writing. Each child has a JAGS girl as mentor to guide and encourage them throughout the year at their two-hourly sessions each Saturday morning held at JAGS where together they read books, play games and write stories. Contact: Headmistress, Marion Gibbs 020 8693 1181

Malvern Girls' College (Malvern, Worcs): Help in the community and charity fundraising culminates in a Community Service Week. Current community projects include Saturday entertainment for senior citizens in Malvern and a party for children from socially deprived backgrounds each Christmas. Every House selects a charity to support each year; over £8,000 is raised annually. Every third year, the College holds a charity weekend; the last (2000) raised over £22,500 and was divided between the local Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Save the Children and a school project in the Gambia. Contact: Anthony Marks 01684 584619 or 01684 892288

Millfield School (Street, Somerset): For ten years, Millfield has hosted 'Mencap Day' - an activities day in the summer term for learning impaired adults and children based in the South West. All senior school staff and students welcome over 1000 guests of all ages onto the school campus, to try out over 40 different activities, ranging from archery, climbing and fencing to riding and Zulu beadwork. The day is free of charge to all those invited. Contact: Rob Mylne 01458 444394

Hutchesons' Grammar School (Glasgow): Up to 60 senior pupils involved in community service projects which include weekly help with classroom activities and reading in nearby special needs schools. An earlier project saw students working with spinal injuries patients at a local hospital and providing 'buddies' on an Outward Bound holiday. Contact: Ian Harrow; 0141 423 2933.

Christ's Hospital (Horsham, Sussex): The school has organised ten consecutive, annual Community Service projects in Romania since 1992, involving over 1000 children with special needs and over 400 Romanian students and Christ’s Hospital teachers and students. Projects have involved sport, music and drama. This year the school is involving two other ISC schools (King’s School Chester and JAGS) in their work with abandoned Romanian children. Earlier this year the school was invited to organise an exhibition of their project work at the Ambassador's residence, and they were congratulated by Princess Margarita of Romania. Contact: Mr Muir John Potter 01403 247570

St Andrew's School (Eastbourne, Sussex): Year 8 children are weekly visitors at Chaseley Home for the physically disabled. Some are permanent residents, while others may stay until they feel able to return to their homes and the wider community. As part of the school’s community project, a group of eight children spend an afternoon of activities with the residents of the home. Activities may include carpet bowls, quizzes, dominoes, scrabble, card games and even the odd game of billiards. The children also help those residents who are unable to feed themselves. Contact: Mr Ali Bawden or Sue Offord, 01323 733203

St Swithun's School (Winchester, Hants): A group of fifth and sixth form girls run, with adult supervision, an after-school art club at a local primary school, All Saints, on a Winchester council estate. Contact: The Rev. Terry Hemming, school chaplain; 01962 835717.

St James Independent School for Girls (London W14): This year, St James Schools adopted Trees and Grass (TAG) for Soweto as their latest fund-raising initiative. Pupils raise funds, through a variety of activities, to sponsor the purchase and planting of trees and grass for Soweto. Previous projects have included the purchase and development of a netball court for schools in Soweto. Contact: Headmistress, Mrs Laura Hyde; 020 7348 1777

King Alfred School (London NW11): Amongst other projects, lower sixth formers have set up a 'green team' as part of their work on the Young Envisionaries Award Programme (YEVA). They are working on a system to increase car sharing and the use of public transport to reduce car use for journeys to school, introducing 'fair trade' and organic food to be sold in the school vending machine and investigating the use of solar powered lighting in parts of the school. Contact: Dawn Moore; 020 8457 5257.