Bolton School has raised over £1m towards bursaries and hardship funding during the last academic year.
Philip Britton, head of foundation, said the fundraising amount was “outstanding” for any year, but was particularly impressive considering the challenges imposed by Covid-19.
From the 49 pupils in the class of 2021 who received help from the bursary fund, 53% achieved A*-A grades and 37% went on to university – 25 of whom secured places on courses at Russell Group universities.
Britton expressed the school’s continued determination to be inclusive, with a focus on ensuring fee rises are as low as possible. He said: “Since 2016 the fee rise has been 2% per year, which is lower than the average cost of living over that time.”
That we have continued to thrive throughout the pandemic is credit to the strength and commitment of our community – Philip Britton, Bolton School
He continued: “Our desire to drive social mobility has been fundamental to our ethos since our re-foundation in 1915 by Lord Leverhulme. We know that, for many of our donors, their support for the bursary fund is a recognition of the foundation the school provided for their success in later life.
“Through their generosity, they enable us to ensure that the ladder of social mobility remains in good repair for the next generation of Boltonians, expanding their ambitions in the same way that a direct grant or assisted place did for those who went before them.
“This academic year we have spent £3.06m on means-tested bursary assistance and hardship grants, supporting 346 – one in five – pupils across our two senior schools. Twenty per cent of those received full-fee remission, equating to 4% of all senior school pupils. That we have continued to thrive throughout the pandemic is credit to the strength and commitment of our community.”
Last year, Bolton School was a finalist at the Social Mobility Awards. Its governors have expressed ambitions for the fund to provide financial support to one in three pupils in the boys’ and girls’ divisions by 2030.
Photo by Mark Power of Karl Kramer Photography
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