WINCHESTER COLLEGE GUIDANCE ON BURSARIES 1. The Funder s Intentin William f Wykeham funded Winchester Cllege in 1382. He rse frm mdest scial rigins t becme Bishp f Winchester and Lrd Chancellr, the trusted adviser f cntrasting mnarchs: nthing was dne, in any respect, withut his advice, wrte Frissart. Wykeham directed the wealth he had acquired fr the prvisin f an educatin f a kind he himself had nt been able t experience. Wykeham gave the distinctive mtt: Manners Makyth Man t the Cllege. Deliberately expressed in the vernacular, rather than in the adpted languages f curt r church, this adaptatin f a cntemprary prverb expresses tw f Wykeham s guiding principles: first, cmmitment t wider sciety and t mbility within that sciety; and secnd, the prvisin f a hlistic educatin, prductive f character as well as intellect, f brad persnal virtues and sympathies, rather than narrw intellectual r scial judgements. The riginal Fundatin prvided fr the educatin f seventy Schlars, just as there are in Cllege tday. While academic, music and sprts schlarships cntinue t be awarded n merit, they n lnger attract autmatic fee remissin. Tday, the Schl educates 700 bys and bradens access by ffering eligible parents means tested financial supprt with the payment f schl fees. Such supprt is knwn as a bursary. 2. Availability f bursaries Each year mre than 125 pupils receive bursaries and the value f bursaries awarded is well in excess f 3 millin, equivalent t mre than eighty full fees. Mre than ne in six pupils currently in the Schl receives a bursary. Individual bursaries vary between 5% and 100% f schl fees payable. Fr thse n the largest bursaries, this may include additinal supprt fr bks, exam entry fees and extras such as educatinal visits. Althugh the Schl is able t able t ffer a large number f bursaries, the amunt f funding available is insufficient t allw it t satisfy all applicatins received. The level f bursaries that can be awarded each year is, therefre, fixed and finite. Please nte that the Schl makes its decisins t ffer prvisinal places in the Schl befre parents need fr financial supprt with schl fees is assessed. Thse wh will need bursary supprt shuld be aware that the ffer f a place at the Schl des nt guarantee bursary funding. 3. Wh can apply fr a bursary? Prspective parents, wh are unable t fund schl fees (in full r in part), must apply fr a bursary as sn as their sn receives an ffer f a prvisinal place at the Schl. The Schl s practice is t allcate its entire available bursary funding at that time. The Schl s expectatin is that parents wh d nt apply fr a bursary at that time will nt require financial supprt thrughut the time that their sn attends the Schl and it will Bursaries Plicy Nvember 2017 Page 1
nt entertain subsequent bursary applicants, except in exceptinal and whlly unfreseeable circumstances. 4. Further infrmatin abut bursaries Further infrmatin abut bursaries is included in the Schl s Admissins infrmatin and n the Schl s website. Further infrmatin and applicatin frms may be btained frm: Mrs WA Neville n 01962 621271 r at bursaries@wincll.ac.uk r at Winchester Cllege, Cllege Street, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 9NA 5. Hw t make an applicatin Bursaries are awarded slely at the Schl s discretin. The Bursar manages and crdinates the prcess, and the Headmaster and Bursar decide awards, in cnsultatin with the Registrar and Husemasters. Bursaries are awarded n the basis f a sliding scale, which sets ut award levels in relatin t a family s financial circumstances. Thugh awards are generally tied t this scale, they may be varied upwards r dwnwards depending n individual parents circumstances (e.g. their savings, investments and realisable assets as well as their incme, the size f their family and any ther persns dependent upn them and like factrs), and cmpassinate r ther pertinent cnsideratins. All prspective parents wh wish t apply fr a bursary fr their sn must submit a Bursary Applicatin frm. This is designed t understand the level f supprt required and why that supprt is required. The Frm requests details f: family circumstances; family finances, including incme and expenditure, and assets and liabilities; the level f supprt required, the reasns why a bursary is needed and the measures the family has taken t find alternative surces f funding, including frm ther family members. All sectins f the Frm must be cmpleted in full and in detail, and the Frm must be accmpanied by full dcumentary evidence in supprt f the applicatin. All applicants will be required t sign a declaratin stating that the infrmatin prvided is bth accurate and cmplete. If the infrmatin prvided is subsequently discvered t be false r misleading, the Schl will withdraw the bursary award. All parents applying shuld expect t be asked t meet the Bursar at the Schl and/r t take part in a hme visit by a representative f the Schl, wh may be a current r frmer member f staff r an utside agency retained by the Schl fr the purpse. Bursaries Plicy Nvember 2017 Page 2
6. Factrs in Assessing Applicatins The Bursar will cnsider a number f factrs when assessing whether supprt might be available, and if s, the extent f such supprt. In the main this will be determined by the by s suitability fr the Schl and parents/guardians financial circumstances and the level f funding available. Suitability: Each by t whm supprt is ffered must meet the Schl s admissin criteria. In additin t making sund academic prgress fllwing admissin and pssessing the ptential t develp the quality f his wrk, each such by must be likely t benefit frm participatin in the wider extra curricular activities n ffer at the Schl and play a full part in the life f the Schl. Bursary funds are limited and thse judged mst suitable will be given pririty as thse mst likely t gain frm the Schl s prvisin. Preference will usually be given t Schlars and hlders f Music and Sprts awards. Financial Limitatins: The amunt f the bursary award is influenced by the extent f need rather than the level f the academic perfrmance. Each case is assessed n its wn merits and awards are made accrdingly, subject t the Schl s ability t fund these within the cntext f its verall budget. It is recgnised that the Schl will have t make judgements abut what sacrifices a family shuld make t pay schl fees. Hwever, the Schl endeavurs t ensure that all bursary awards are cnsistently assessed and applied. As well as an assessment f current incme, utgings and assets, ther factrs which may be cnsidered in determining the necessary level f grant include: The ability t imprve the financial psitin r earning pwer f the family. Fr example, where there are tw partners, bth wuld be expected t be emplyed unless ne is prevented frm ding s thrugh incapacity, the need t care fr children under schl age r ther dependents, r the requirements f their partner s wrk. Opprtunities t release any capital. The Schl wuld expect significant capital savings and investments, including secnd hmes and buy t lets, t be used fr the payment f schl fees, as wuld equity values in huses. In cases f separatin, the cntributin that is being made r shuld be made by the absent parent. Cntributin t husehld csts including schl fees by ther members f the wider family, any adults unrelated t the child r by utside surces. Whether fees are being paid t ther schls (r universities). Acknwledging that thers may have a different view, the Schl cnsiders that the fllwing, fr example, may nt be cnsistent with receipt f a bursary: Frequent r expensive hlidays. Luxury cars. Investment in significant hme imprvements. A secnd prperty/ land hldings. Failure t hnur schl fee payments t ther schls. Bursaries Plicy Nvember 2017 Page 3
Other Factrs: It is recgnised that, in additin t financial matters, there may be ther circumstances, which may be cnsidered. These include: Where a by has siblings at the Schl (thugh a bursary award t ne child des nt guarantee awards t siblings). Where the scial needs f the by are relevant. Where a parent is critically ill, r is unable t secure permanent emplyment due t pr health r incapacity. Where a separatin might result in the pupil having t be withdrawn frm the Schl, adding t the stress f cping with the parents separating. 7. The applicatin prcess (a) Fr thse applying fr a place fr entry at age 13 All awards are cntingent upn a satisfactry perfrmance in the general entrance examinatin ( Entrance ) r schlarship examinatin ( Electin ). The Schl will adhere strictly t stipulated clsing dates. (i) Parents must indicate n the Registratin Frm whether r nt they intend t seek bursary assistance. (ii) Parents wh will need a bursary must submit a Bursary Applicatin Frm nt later than 1 September (and preferably befre that date) as part f the acceptance f the ffer f a Huse r General Place. That ffer will be made in June f the year in which the by has been interviewed, i.e. tw years befre entry. (iii) The Bursar will cnsider the applicatin and prepare recmmendatins. (iv) All applicants will be subject t a hme visit by a representative f the Schl (see the final paragraph f Sectin 5 abve) and may als be asked t meet the Bursar at the Schl. (v) The Bursar will infrm parents f the value f any award by the end f the autumn term, in mid December. (vi) Parents ffered a bursary will be required t sign a letter accepting the ffer and any cnditins related t the bursary. Parents wh subsequently rescind the ffer f a place as a result f this decisin will have their Acceptance Fee reimbursed, prviding this ntice is received within 30 days f ntificatin f the award. (b) Fr thse taking the schlarship examinatin (Electin) (withut already having a Huse r General Place) (i) Parents must submit a Bursary Applicatin Frm tgether with the relevant main applicatin frm by the specified clsing date fr entry t Cllege (Electin). (ii) The Bursar will assess applicatins as in the prcess set ut abve. (iii) The decisin will be cmmunicated in gd time. Where practicable, the Schl will endeavur t ntify parents f the level f award, if any, at the same time as the results f their entrance applicatin. Bursaries Plicy Nvember 2017 Page 4
(c) Fr thse r applying fr a Sprts r Music Award (withut already having a Huse r General Place), r admissin int the sixth frm 1. Parents must indicate n the applicatin frm whether r nt they intend t seek bursary assistance. 2. Parents f shrtlisted candidates, wh have indicated that they wuld require assistance with the fees, will be sent a Bursary Applicatin Frm. This must be cmpleted and returned by the deadline specified. This will usually be within between tw and fur weeks f ntificatin that their sn has been shrtlisted. 3. The Bursar will assess applicatins as in the prcess set ut abve. 4. The decisin will be cmmunicated in gd time. Where practicable, the Schl will endeavur t ntify parents f the level f award, if any, at the same time as the results f their entrance applicatin. 8. Annual Review All bursaries are cnditinal n gd cnduct and cntinuing gd perfrmance f the recipient. All awards are reviewed annually and are subject t repeat testing f parents means each year. They may be varied upwards r dwnwards, r even withdrawn altgether, if parents circumstances change. Hwever, where a bursary is awarded t a new entrant t the Schl, parents can assume that the level f bursary award will nt change frm year t year, prvided that their financial circumstances d nt change. All bursaries will be reassessed in detail befre a pupil enters the Sixth Frm and cannt be carried thrugh t the Sixth Frm unless a pupil has met the minimum academic prmtin requirement and has cnsistently made a gd cntributin t the schl s c curricular prgramme. The Bursar will cntact existing bursary hlders in January each year with details f that year s review. The results f the review will nrmally be advised by the end f that term. The Bursar has the discretin, after cnsultatin with the Headmaster, t reduce r withdraw an award nt nly where a pupil s prgress, attitude r behaviur has been unsatisfactry but als where the parents have failed t supprt the Schl, fr example by the late payment f their cntributin t the fees. 9. Cnfidentiality The Schl respects the cnfidentiality f bursary awards made t families and recipients are expected t d likewise. 10. Other Surces f Bursary Assistance In additin t the Schl s Bursary Fund, there are a number f educatinal and charitable trusts, which prvide assistance with tuitin fees. In the majrity f cases, these are t assist children wh are already attending a fee paying schl and wh due t a change f circumstances may be unable t remain in that schl. Winchester Cllege Bursaries Plicy Nvember 2017 Page 5
encurages parents/guardians t apply fr supprt where it is felt a gd case can be made fr assistance. Further advice and infrmatin may be btained via The Educatinal Grants Advice Service: The Educatinal Grants Advice Service Ryal Natinal Childrenʹs Fundatin Sandy Lane, Cbham Surrey KT11 2ES Tel: 01932 865619 (9am 11am, Mnday Friday) Steven Little Bursar Nvember 2017 Bursaries Plicy Nvember 2017 Page 6