Wykeham Journal 2022 | Page 28

THE WYKEHAM JOURNAL 2022

BURSAR ’ S REPORT

PARESH THAKRAR

February 2021 , amidst the pandemic , saw the announcement of the Governing Body ’ s Vision for Winchester College . Against two of the major goals — Increasing Access , to both girls and day pupils and to those with limited financial means , and Estate Modernisation — we have taken big strides forward . The school already looks and feels purposeful . There ’ s been a distinct buzz around the courtyards , no doubt helped by the balmy early winter we ’ ve experienced .

Increasing Access In 2021-22 the College made much progress against its goal of widening access . We do this in a variety of ways . The most material and visible , of course , is the provision of bursaries . Last year the school provided £ 3.5m of means-tested fee remission to 120 families — up from £ 3.1m in 2021 . Nearly half of these awards were worth over 80 % of the school fee ; others were smaller awards to middle income earners , with a small number needing temporary hardship support . Virtually none of the pupils concerned could have attended without support from the endowment . The school also awarded its first places to Day Sixth Formers — among whom were the first recipients of the Wykeham Award — a dedicated bursary for those joining Sixth Book from a State School . The quality of applicants , particularly at Sixth Form level , goes from strength to strength .
Demand for financial support is typically greater than the funds we have available . The resulting decisions are invariably difficult . At the back of our minds with every decision is the realisation that the opportunity provided can be life-altering , taking the trajectory of a pupil and their family to another level entirely . Next year will see a major uplift in the number of pupils on bursaries as we continue our focus on attracting the brightest students , irrespective of background .
The College also broadened access through its partnerships , which now number 16 secondary schools and 8 primary schools , the majority of them in Hampshire . Nearly 1,500 pupils from those schools participated in one or more of over 73 events , talks or activities arranged by the school , with a third of Co Ro offering teaching time . We view these partnerships as long-term , mutually beneficial and part of the core charitable purpose of the Foundation . Our final means of broadening access is by being a positive part of the local community . I am very proud to say that whoever you are in the Winchester area , it is very hard not to encounter the College in some guise — as a walker across the grounds , through a mention in the Hampshire Chronicle or as a visitor .
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