Asked why this is, British education experts all use the same two key words: educated Chinese people worry the “didactic” style of Chinese teaching is less suited than the more “questioning” style of British learning to the increasingly knowledge-based global economy.

But the barriers to entry – which are high throughout the world for British schools and universities – are in some cases even higher in China.

Harrow School and Dulwich College, two of Britain's most famous traditional private schools, have already set up branches in China. In the past 10 years, private schools have used China to pioneer the new concept of overseas daughter campuses that make money for the parent school to spend on bursaries or lowering fees for pupils in Britain.