Felsted School has a long tradition of providing assistance with the cost of school fees to pupils whose families do not have the resources to cover the cost of their education but who would gain great benefit from the superb educational experience that Felsted can offer.
We have reviewed our policy in the light of the requirements of the twenty-first century to ensure that we allocate our limited bursary funds wisely and give financial help where it is most needed.
The Governors of Felsted School are committed to broadening access to the School by offering financial support with the payment of school fees through the provision of bursaries. Such bursaries are means-tested and for parents on low incomes there may be a discount of up to 100% of tuition fees plus help with ‘extras’. The School is committed to helping talented boys and girls from all backgrounds to enjoy a Felsted education, and is actively seeking to create a substantial endowment through fundraising in order to enhance future provision.
Bursaries are awarded following a means-tested assessment of the applicant’s circumstances. The School will also take into account other relevant circumstances in deciding on the level of support. Bursaries are subject to annual review and parents will be asked to provide updated financial information each year that the pupil remains in the School. The annual review may result in bursaries being varied upwards or downwards. All information supplied in the course of a bursary application will be treated as confidential.
Categories of Financial Support
Requests for financial support usually fall into three categories:
1. Top–up Bursary. For applicants to the School who have won an Academic, Art, D&T, Drama, Music or Sport Scholarship, Exhibition or another Award, but whose parents are unable to afford the full fees;
2. Open Bursary. For applicants to the School whose families would otherwise be unable to consider the school due to their financial circumstances. Two open bursaries will be offered each year to day or boarding pupils entering Year 7 or Year 9 to pupils who we consider will benefit most from the opportunity and who are in the greatest financial need.
3. Hardship Bursary. For existing pupils where a change in parents’ circumstances has resulted in difficulty in meeting the full fees and would otherwise result in the child being withdrawn part way through a stage of the Felsted education.
Up to 100% support is available, dependent on financial means.
Decision Making
All bursaries are awarded at the discretion of the Governors. The Heads and Bursar are responsible for the management of the process. The decision of the School is final and not subject to appeal.
The Bursary Application Process
Top-up bursary. Pupils who are awarded an Academic, Music or Sports Award will be notified of the procedure for applying for a ‘top-up’ bursary at the time the award is made early in the year of entry. The parents of all bursary applicants will be required to complete a full disclosure of their financial circumstances.
Open Bursary. Open bursaries will be advertised widely in the late autumn of the year preceding the year of entry. The parents of applicants will be required to complete a full disclosure of their financial circumstances at that time. The award of Open Bursaries will be entirely at the discretion of the Heads, and awards will be given to those pupils who are deemed to have the greatest potential to benefit from and contribute to the full range of Felsted School activities, and who are in greatest financial need. The Bursary can potentially, subject to need, cover extras such as school uniform, non-discretionary trips and other ‘extras’. Before an Open Bursary is awarded, the family will normally be visited by a representative of the school as part of the process to assess their financial circumstances.
Hardship Bursary. If parents’ financial circumstances worsen unexpectedly after a pupil has joined the School, financial support from the Hardship Fund might be available. The Bursar can provide further information.
The Consideration of Bursary Applications
Suitability. In assessing a child’s suitability, attention will be given to the School’s assessment of each applicant, with potential also being considered as well as current achievement. Bursary funds are limited and those judged most suitable will be given priority as those likely to gain most from the well-rounded education provision and ethos of a Felsted education.
Financial Need. The amount of bursary award is not influenced by the level of the academic ability of the child but by the extent of need. Each case is assessed on its own merits and awards are made accordingly, subject to the funds the School has available for bursaries. The School has a duty to ensure that all bursary grants are well focussed and so, as well as current earnings, other factors which will be considered in determining the necessary level of grant will include:
· The ability to improve the financial position or earning power of the family: for example, where there are two partners, both would be expected to be employed unless one is unable to be through incapacity or the need to care for children under school age or other dependants;
· Opportunities to release any capital: Significant capital savings and investments would be expected to be used for the payment of school fees, as would equity values in houses. Second property/land holdings would also be an opportunity to release capital;
· In cases of separation: the contribution made by the absent parent; or the contribution which the absent parent could be expected to make towards the child’s education;
· Contribution to household costs by other, wider, family members, and any adults related to the child or by outside sources;
· Where fees are being paid to other schools (or universities) the School’s grant will take into account all these outgoings.
· Priorities in household expenditure. The School considers that a payment of school fees must take precedence over activities such as frequent or expensive holidays, new or luxury cars and second properties.
Other Factors. It is recognised that, in addition to academic ability, contribution to the life of the School, and financial constraints, there may be other circumstances which should be considered. These include:
· The social and economic needs (and background) of the child;
· Where the current educational provision does not fulfil the child’s needs/abilities;
· Where a parent/guardian is terminally ill or is unable to secure permanent employment due to poor health;
· Where a child has siblings at the School.
Annual Review
All bursary awards are subject to an annual review, which will require a repeat testing of parental means, and may be varied upwards or downwards depending on parental circumstances. For those in receipt of bursaries, the Headmaster and Bursar have the discretion to decide on the reduction or withdrawal of an award, not only where a pupil’s progress, attitude or behaviour has been unsatisfactory, but also where the parents/guardians have failed to support the School for example by late payment of the contribution they are making to the fees. These requirements are additional to, and must be read in conjunction with, the terms and conditions agreed by parents when the pupil enters the School.
Confidentiality
The School respects the confidentiality of bursary awards made to families, and recipients are expected to do likewise.
Awareness
The School is committed to publicising the existence of means-tested bursaries, including the availability of 100% bursaries. Information alerting parents of potential pupils to the possibility of means-tested support for fees is therefore given through the following areas:
· The School prospectus
· The School website
· Local advertising
· Links with other schools
As well as being available on the School website and in the prospectus pack, this policy statement is also available as a separately published document from the School’s Admissions Office.
Margaret C McKenna, Bursar, Felsted School
Dec. 09
Felsted School has a long tradition of providing assistance with the cost of school fees to pupils whose families do not have the resources to cover the cost of their education but who would gain great benefit from the superb educational experience that Felsted can offer.
We have reviewed our policy in the light of the requirements of the twenty-first century to ensure that we allocate our limited bursary funds wisely and give financial help where it is most needed.
The Governors of Felsted School are committed to broadening access to the School by offering financial support with the payment of school fees through the provision of bursaries. Such bursaries are means-tested and for parents on low incomes there may be a discount of up to 100% of tuition fees plus help with ‘extras’. The School is committed to helping talented boys and girls from all backgrounds to enjoy a Felsted education, and is actively seeking to create a substantial endowment through fundraising in order to enhance future provision.
Bursaries are awarded following a means-tested assessment of the applicant’s circumstances. The School will also take into account other relevant circumstances in deciding on the level of support. Bursaries are subject to annual review and parents will be asked to provide updated financial information each year that the pupil remains in the School. The annual review may result in bursaries being varied upwards or downwards. All information supplied in the course of a bursary application will be treated as confidential.
Categories of Financial Support
Requests for financial support usually fall into three categories:
1. Top–up Bursary. For applicants to the School who have won an Academic, Art, D&T, Drama, Music or Sport Scholarship, Exhibition or another Award, but whose parents are unable to afford the full fees;
2. Open Bursary. For applicants to the School whose families would otherwise be unable to consider the school due to their financial circumstances. Two open bursaries will be offered each year to day or boarding pupils entering Year 7 or Year 9 to pupils who we consider will benefit most from the opportunity and who are in the greatest financial need.
3. Hardship Bursary. For existing pupils where a change in parents’ circumstances has resulted in difficulty in meeting the full fees and would otherwise result in the child being withdrawn part way through a stage of the Felsted education.
Up to 100% support is available, dependent on financial means.
Decision Making
All bursaries are awarded at the discretion of the Governors. The Heads and Bursar are responsible for the management of the process. The decision of the School is final and not subject to appeal.
The Bursary Application Process
Top-up bursary. Pupils who are awarded an Academic, Music or Sports Award will be notified of the procedure for applying for a ‘top-up’ bursary at the time the award is made early in the year of entry. The parents of all bursary applicants will be required to complete a full disclosure of their financial circumstances.
Open Bursary. Open bursaries will be advertised widely in the late autumn of the year preceding the year of entry. The parents of applicants will be required to complete a full disclosure of their financial circumstances at that time. The award of Open Bursaries will be entirely at the discretion of the Heads, and awards will be given to those pupils who are deemed to have the greatest potential to benefit from and contribute to the full range of Felsted School activities, and who are in greatest financial need. The Bursary can potentially, subject to need, cover extras such as school uniform, non-discretionary trips and other ‘extras’. Before an Open Bursary is awarded, the family will normally be visited by a representative of the school as part of the process to assess their financial circumstances.
Hardship Bursary. If parents’ financial circumstances worsen unexpectedly after a pupil has joined the School, financial support from the Hardship Fund might be available. The Bursar can provide further information.
The Consideration of Bursary Applications
Suitability. In assessing a child’s suitability, attention will be given to the School’s assessment of each applicant, with potential also being considered as well as current achievement. Bursary funds are limited and those judged most suitable will be given priority as those likely to gain most from the well-rounded education provision and ethos of a Felsted education.
Financial Need. The amount of bursary award is not influenced by the level of the academic ability of the child but by the extent of need. Each case is assessed on its own merits and awards are made accordingly, subject to the funds the School has available for bursaries. The School has a duty to ensure that all bursary grants are well focussed and so, as well as current earnings, other factors which will be considered in determining the necessary level of grant will include:
· The ability to improve the financial position or earning power of the family: for example, where there are two partners, both would be expected to be employed unless one is unable to be through incapacity or the need to care for children under school age or other dependants;
· Opportunities to release any capital: Significant capital savings and investments would be expected to be used for the payment of school fees, as would equity values in houses. Second property/land holdings would also be an opportunity to release capital;
· In cases of separation: the contribution made by the absent parent; or the contribution which the absent parent could be expected to make towards the child’s education;
· Contribution to household costs by other, wider, family members, and any adults related to the child or by outside sources;
· Where fees are being paid to other schools (or universities) the School’s grant will take into account all these outgoings.
· Priorities in household expenditure. The School considers that a payment of school fees must take precedence over activities such as frequent or expensive holidays, new or luxury cars and second properties.
Other Factors. It is recognised that, in addition to academic ability, contribution to the life of the School, and financial constraints, there may be other circumstances which should be considered. These include:
· The social and economic needs (and background) of the child;
· Where the current educational provision does not fulfil the child’s needs/abilities;
· Where a parent/guardian is terminally ill or is unable to secure permanent employment due to poor health;
· Where a child has siblings at the School.
Annual Review
All bursary awards are subject to an annual review, which will require a repeat testing of parental means, and may be varied upwards or downwards depending on parental circumstances. For those in receipt of bursaries, the Headmaster and Bursar have the discretion to decide on the reduction or withdrawal of an award, not only where a pupil’s progress, attitude or behaviour has been unsatisfactory, but also where the parents/guardians have failed to support the School for example by late payment of the contribution they are making to the fees. These requirements are additional to, and must be read in conjunction with, the terms and conditions agreed by parents when the pupil enters the School.
Confidentiality
The School respects the confidentiality of bursary awards made to families, and recipients are expected to do likewise.
Awareness
The School is committed to publicising the existence of means-tested bursaries, including the availability of 100% bursaries. Information alerting parents of potential pupils to the possibility of means-tested support for fees is therefore given through the following areas:
· The School prospectus
· The School website
· Local advertising
· Links with other schools
As well as being available on the School website and in the prospectus pack, this policy statement is also available as a separately published document from the School’s Admissions Office.
Margaret C McKenna, Bursar, Felsted School
Dec. 09