The Value of Bursaries
Transforming communities at Cranleigh School, Surrey I was immensely privileged to Chair the Boarding Schools’ Association in 2018. The theme for my Heads’ conference was ‘transforming communities’. Boarding schools are communities which both transform the lives of pupils and are transformed by the pupils within them. With over 90% of pupils living within an hour and a half of the Surrey Hills, Cranleigh reflects that area and we have to be more diverse, culturally, ethnically, socio-economically if we are to be more representative of the world around us in a rapidly changing global context. We were founded in 1865 as a county school by the local rector and the local MP, with the aim of making a difference through education to local farmers especially. That commitment to making a difference is part of our DNA and whether through donations or funds raised
from our overseas ventures, we are committed to expanding our bursary programme to attract pupils from more diverse backgrounds. The Cranleigh Foundation was launched in 2007 to raise an endowment to fully fund those children who would benefit from the support of boarding because of the challenging circumstances of their lives. For example, our Foundationers may have experienced the loss of one or both parents, suffered abuse, are looked after or have siblings at home who are seriously ill and require the full attention of their parents. We are developing ever closer relationships with partners such as Royal Springboard, the Buttle Trust and the Surrey Virtual School to ensure we find Foundationers who will thrive at both Cranleigh School and Cranleigh Prep. In addition, we have always supported talented children who could not otherwise have afforded Cranleigh and all our bursaries are means-tested up to 100%. Over the last five years we have shifted the balance of our
bursary provision from smaller awards towards applicants in need of support greater than 80%. Each year transformational bursaries account for between 3.5% and 5% of the total roll and we aspire to increase that, primarily from income from overseas schools. The identity of all our bursary holders is private, and so I observe with pride from a distance. Sometimes the gains are incremental, with gradual growth in self-confidence or steady improvements in learning. Sometimes they are leaps and I watch with particular joy as they score a winning try, play a solo in a concert or take the lead in a play, and, especially for the Foundationers, only a few know the true extent of their journey. Yet however great or small the change, I can testify that every single one of them has transformed us by their influence on the people around them, whether quiet or truly inspirational. Ultimately that is why bursaries are so important to Cranleigh. Martin Reader, Headmaster Cranleigh School
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | S UM M ER 2021 | 33
