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Whitgift For All is looking to make a step-change in its financial relationship with alumni, parents, staff, and friends of Whitgift. Like many independent schools and university colleges we are looking for substantial sums to make the difference that we aspire to. As a school, we want to do all we can to engage with the community and enhance the already high provision of bursary funds that we provide to Whitgift boys which gives Whitgift the unique social mix that we treasure.
Improving social mobility is a key aim of Whitgift For All (WFA). Our location in South Croydon puts us alongside one of the poorest performing areas of London in educational terms. This gives us the opportunity to make a real and significant difference for the local community. Our aim is for academic ability and potential to be the only criteria for entry to Whitgift.
We know that bursaries are a driver for society through the resulting actions of the recipients. Not only are they of benefit to the individual and Whitgift, but they are also a crucial contribution to our society.
Whitgift already supports many children with bursaries, most from the School’s original endowment. We aim to create 7 new bursaries, aimed specifically at bright local boys from low-income families. This will be funded by a new fundraising campaign, with most funds going to a permanent endowment and some kept in reserve to provide support to ‘urgent’ cases and needs.
There are currently pupils who are applying to Whitgift who require a bursary, but who we cannot support due to lack of funds.
The Whitgift Foundation allocates bursary funding to Whitgift to be allocated to parents whose income falls below a certain level and whose son performs well in the academic assessments; however, the demand is extremely high. The size of the bursarial support will depend on the family’s ‘relevant income’ which is usually calculated as the total of the income (before tax) from all sources of both parents as well as any unearned income of all their dependent children. An allowance of £2,000 is taken off this total for each dependent child in full-time education. Assets are also taken into account when considering whether to award a bursary, this includes equity in property.
The Whitgift Foundation is the sole proprietor and owning charity of Whitgift, Trinity, and OPS, as well as three care homes. The Foundation has significant assets, mainly in property, but its income is restricted. Currently an annual grant is made for Bursaries to each school. These awards are means-tested, and the fees paid directly by the Foundation. Currently, 130 boys are receiving substantial bursaries, the cost of which comes up to approximately £2.15 million. The issues we face include the following:
1) The Foundation originally only supported Whitgift School, with Trinity being a direct grant (i.e., nationally funded) until 1976, when the support was divided between the schools.
2) The Foundation then added a further school for girls, Old Palace into the bursary pot, further dividing the funds available.
3) Until 1997, all three schools also benefitted from government support from the Assisted Places Scheme.
In the ‘old days’ (approximately until the 1990s) there were several funding streams to help boys whose families needed financial support. Many OWs were supported by the Foundation, the council, or on a government assisted place. Now there are only full-fee payers and those assisted by Foundation grants. So, in real terms, the School is relying on the same level of ‘grant’ that it had 20 years ago for its bursarial support. This now represents a smaller % of income and is thus able to help fewer people, and in addition there is currently no other source of income for bursaries.
One of the ways that the Foundation could have contributed more in terms of support, would have been income from the Whitgift Centre, which was to have been re-developed. However, this has been on permanent hold since the pandemic and the rental income has plummeted.
In addition to the three schools, the Foundation also manages three care homes, which adds to the financial pressure. This means we need to become more independent with certain projects. The School wishes to create 7 new transformational bursaries that will be in addition to the grant we receive from the Foundation.
All OWs have benefited from the munificence and philanthropic initiative of John Whitgift, as well as his generosity and foresight from over 425 years ago. We now work to build on this legacy and are looking for support from members of the wider Whitgift Community. If Whitgift is to remain the socially diverse place it is today, it is reliant on the generosity of the former pupils, parents, staff, and friends of the School.
The current economic uncertainty and possible threat of the removal of charitable status make it even more vital that we seek additional funds for these means-tested transformational bursaries. This is a time when the most vulnerable of those seeking bursarial support need our help the most.
We do not want to see the number of bursary candidates who are able to access our wonderful school decrease because of the current financial climate.
It is important that bursary recipients do not feel ‘left out’ or alienated from school life. This will ensure that they have books, uniform, and access to ‘essential’ school trips.
A transformational bursary provides full support for a child throughout their time at the school and is specifically for those families with extremely limited means. It is the life-changing step that truly helps us make a difference