It is not just the generosity of the Founder , but also the generosity of generation after generation of OWs , which helps us to reach this ambition each academic year , backed up most recently by the Governing Body ’ s exciting vision of offering more bursaries as a result of the sale of Barton Farm .
It is not just the generosity of the Founder , but also the generosity of generation after generation of OWs , which helps us to reach this ambition each academic year , backed up most recently by the Governing Body ’ s exciting vision of offering more bursaries as a result of the sale of Barton Farm .
Our historic resources are extraordinary . We have a unique set of buildings , a wonderful archive , and , in the new Treasury , a splendid space in which some of these things can be exhibited . But I ’ m discovering that even those who have been associated with the College for a long time don ’ t necessarily know all the treasures we ’ ve got here ; and , if you ’ re a Winchester resident , the chances are you may never have been inside the College walls . The Oxford Preservation Trust , which owns substantial open spaces in the city , once a year organises ‘ Oxford Open Doors ’ which provides an opportunity for every closed community to open itself up and I was delighted to be asked to serve as a Trustee . The College ’ s new involvement in Winchester ’ s National Heritage Open Days , facilitated by Richard Foster , Suzanne Foster , Rachel Wragg , Amber Davenport and our Enterprise team , has enabled us to offer for the first time something comparable . It was an enormous success in 2017 , and we plan to expand that this year . Amongst these other initiatives , it ’ s important not to forget the Founder ’ s original intent . A Winchester education should facilitate national well-being via social mobility , and an opening up of our community to all those boys who would benefit from it . The Warden and Fellows , and indeed everyone in the College , are hugely committed to those ideals and conscious of the extensive resources which the school has at its disposal to achieve this fundamental aim . It is not just the generosity of the Founder , but also the generosity of generation after generation of OWs , which helps us to reach this ambition each academic year , backed up most recently by the Governing
Body ’ s exciting vision of offering more bursaries as a result of the sale of Barton Farm . Currently 1 in 5 pupils in the school receive support with their school fees . With the eventual proceeds from Barton Farm we intend to increase that support to a third of all pupils . Of course , opening up the school to the wider community is not a new concept – there is a little bit of a political obsession with opening up public school playing fields for broader use . Winchester has been doing that for a long time , for example by sharing our PE Centre with the local community , so that a wide variety of members , clubs and societies can enjoy our sporting facilities while the boys pursue their academic studies . The planned development of the Southern Campus , with the introduction of a new Sports Centre will give wider public access to an extraordinary firstclass facility ( a sort of luxury Gunner ’ s Hole , fully heated and with indoor changing rooms ), without , of course , impinging on the school ’ s own use . These are very exciting times for the College and I am privileged to be part of them . We are deeply fortunate in being able to express our ancient ideals and expand our special responsibility in ever more relevant ways .
The Wykeham Journal 2017 9