Wykeham Journal 2023 | Page 19

THE WYKEHAM JOURNAL 2023
headwinds facing the independent school sector , with significant changes to taxation policy threatened , and it will be vital that this support is sustained when , as appears likely , conditions become more difficult .
It is important to note that the flow of benefits from our bursary programme is not unidirectional . The benefit to the recipients is obvious , but they bring into the div room and the House fresh eyes , diverse perspectives , a welcome boost to our intellectual , cultural and sporting ambitions , and a refreshing appreciation for the richness of our offering . No pupil is well served by education in a monoculture , and , just as we welcome the breadth of perspective which accompanies a wide spread of cultural , ethnic , religious and linguistic backgrounds , so we embrace diversity of socio-economic background , experience and opinion .
Also notable is how often our bursary recipients say that they came to know us through our partnership and outreach activities . These are programmes that have developed over many years , thanks to the vision and hard work of my colleagues , and their reach is greater than ever . Some of our newest pupils have told me that they would never have considered Winchester at all but for their participation in our enrichment opportunities . In addition to our Community Service programme ( through which Wykehamists visit local primary schools to help with activities such as reading , science , music , French , Spanish and chess ), the College is offering an increasing number of opportunities for those pupils to visit us for a variety of events . These include Maths lessons , talks , performances , and visits to the Treasury and our various Collections . Our Educational Partnerships programme also continues to expand its engagement with local secondary schools through a range of opportunities , thus helping — together with the primary school initiatives — to keep our doors wide open and to encourage applications to

… just as we welcome the breadth of perspective which accompanies a wide spread of cultural , ethnic , religious and linguistic backgrounds , so we embrace diversity of socio-economic background , experience and opinion .

the Sixth Form from pupils who have come to know the school , perhaps over a number of years , and for whom Winchester College has become demystified . Again , we see that the benefits of these partnerships flow in both directions — enriching the lives and education of many young people in a wide range of communities , and serving as a path for highly able young people to enter and strengthen our school .
Winchester is an institution with a remarkable continuity of vision and legacy . That William of Wykeham ’ s mission , six centuries later , is so clearly continuing to serve young people , both within our school and beyond its gates , is testament to its enduring value .
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