Executive Summary
King Edward’s School (KES) in Southampton has a rich history dating back to 1553. This report presents a comprehensive analysis of our social, environmental and economic impact for the academic year 2023-2024.
Key highlights include:
• Provision of 49 bursaries, supporting about 1 in 20 pupils
• Extensive partnership programmes benefiting over 1,000 local students
• Charitable fundraising totalling over £8,000 for various causes
• Total contribution to GDP of approximately £33 million
• Support of 388 jobs, including 258 direct employments
• £9.5 million in tax contributions
• £7.5 million in taxpayer savings through independent education provision
This report demonstrates KES’s significant positive impact on our local community and the broader economy. We remain committed to our founding principles of providing an excellent education and serving the Southampton community.
Methodology
This report was compiled using data from the school’s internal records, the Independent Schools Council (ISC) economic impact assessment tool, and the 2022-2023 Annual Report and Accounts. The economic impact analysis was based on the ISC’s methodology, which considers direct, indirect, and induced economic activities associated with the school’s operations.
All figures contained within the report are accurate at the time of writing, and wherever possible have been verified and confirmed.
A Welcome from the Head at
King Edward’s
Welcome to this very first edition of the King Edward’s ‘Social, Environmental and Economic Impact Report’.
King Edward’s School, established in 1553, has a long-standing commitment to educational excellence and community service. This report aims to quantify and qualify our social, environmental and economic impact for the academic year 2023-2024, demonstrating our continued dedication to our founding principles and our role in shaping Southampton’s future.
We are proud of our rich history of contributing to the cultural and economic life of the city of Southampton and the wider region of Hampshire. This commitment stems from our very foundation, when a legacy donation of £100 left by William Capon, Rector of St Mary’s Church, was made to establish a school to benefit the ‘poor scholars of Southampton’ in 1553.
Since then, nearly 500 generations of pupils have learned within our classrooms. Many Old Edwardians have become eminent in their own right. Countless others have made less famed but no less worthy contributions to their communities and society.
When the Grammar School system ended, KES became an independent fee-paying School, but the Headmaster of the day – mindful of our founding values - immediately launched an appeal for bursary funding to assist deserving young people from our region.
Today, we provide an outstanding education to nearly 1000 children aged 11 to 18, as well as from
2 to 11 at King Edward’s Preparatory School in Romsey (formerly Stroud School). Our school has a superb reputation for academic outcomes, whilst also providing wonderful wider opportunities and excellent pastoral care and support.
We remain passionately committed to our founding principles. We believe that we continue to play an important part in serving our local community, and that our pupils benefit in equal measure from the many rich partnerships we enjoy with individuals, schools, charities and businesses from across our region. My personal thanks go to our many partner organisations for their friendship and expertise.
Thank you!
Neal Parker, Head
209
Bursaries awarded since 2004, including 88 100% Bursaries.
258 people employed, with an estimated 130 local jobs indirectly supported.
1,000 +
local primary school children have benefitted from KES Partnership activites in the last year.
300 pupils engaged with regular volunteering
Our PV panels have achieved an environmental impact equivalent to planting
846 trees
£1000s of pounds raised each year for local charities.
Bursaries
at King Edward’s
We are committed to providing access to an excellent education regardless of financial background. Our bursary programme is a cornerstone of this commitment.
209 awarded since 2004
88 awarded since 2004
1 in 20 are Bursary Award holders (approximately) Bursaries 100% Bursaries
13 attended Oxbridge 48 attended Russell Group Universities
Bursary Award holders Bursary Award holders
49 in 2023-24
Bursary Award holders Pupils
Our Bursary Award holders primarily come from Southampton, with a few travelling from surrounding areas. This geographic distribution aligns with our founding values to educate young people from lower-income backgrounds in Southampton.
- Location of our Bursary Award holders
Our Bursary Programme
Ever since William Capon left his founding legacy, providing educational opportunities for young people within our city has been core to our ethos at King Edward’s. Nearly 500 years on, we continue Capon’s vision by providing several full and partial bursaries every year.
Southampton is a wonderful place. A historic port, our city is the jumping off point for millions,
en-route to new horizons and adventures. Our bursary programme mirrors this. We want our pupils to aim big – broadening their horizons and dreaming about what might be possible. No matter what a young person’s background is, if they have the ambition to succeed, we provide a space for those hopes to grow.
This academic year, we have placed a big focus on talking to our current and former Bursary Award holders. We wanted to understand their experiences and co-create our bursary programme together with them. Each Bursary Award holder has their own unique story, but some common themes about KES run through their feedback:
• KES raises aspirations and encourages you to think big.
• Attending KES breeds confidence to make bold career choices.
• KES encourages academic curiosity, not just passing the exam.
• The 1:1 support from our teachers is exemplary.
• Co-curricular opportunities abound –there’s something here for everyone
• Bursaries cause a ripple effect on your family.
• There is safety and belonging here.
• Bursaries make our school a better place
One key difficulty we heard from several former Bursary Award holders was that their families had struggled to afford extra costs like uniform, lunches, travel, technology for learning and school trips. Thanks to a generous gift from the Frank Misselbrook Foundation, we are delighted that from the 2025-26 academic year onwards, all pupils who receive a 100% bursary will also be eligible for support with these extra costs. This is an example of how we are trying to remove as many barriers as possible for our Bursary Award holders, to give them the best possible experience here at KES.
We know there is much more we can do to support our Bursary Award holders, and we look forward to reporting on future developments over the coming years.
We are very grateful to the many Old Edwardians and other supporters who have kindly given back to support bursaries. It is our hope that this report makes clear the significant impact that these donations have made.
Richard Wilson, Director of Development
Our family situation was such that no matter how hard my mother worked, no matter whether we went without holidays and bought everything second hand, there would never be the opportunity to attend a school like King Edward’s. Attending KES has had a huge impact on my life and who I am and has steered me to want to be of service to others in the future.
- Former Bursary Award holder
Afjal
(KES 17-24)
I would encourage anyone thinking of applying for a bursary to attend KES to ‘Go for it’.
My first exposure to KES was with the partnership programme that was running with my primary school. I came along with my class and took part in Science, Art and Philosophy sessions and my Head Teacher subsequently encouraged me to apply for a place.
The day I found out that I had passed the entrance exam and had been offered a full bursary place was a happy and emotional one for me and my family. We held a big party to celebrate and I was even prouder when I first started in Year 7 when the Head, Mr Thould, came up to me and told me, “Your paper is one of the best that I’ve read”.
In my final year at KES, I studied four A Levels in Maths, Further Maths, Computing and Physics. I was delighted to achieve four A*s and am now studying Mathematics with Mathematical Computation at Imperial College London. For now, I am uncertain about the specific direction I want to take with my career. I am currently exploring creative paths outside of pure STEM, an area that I really enjoyed in school, with hopes to incorporate these somehow into my career. I envisage myself somewhere in the likes of academia, AI, or entrepreneurship: all I can say is, watch this space!
Alongside working hard on my academics, I was heavily immersed in co-curriculars at KES, attending somewhere in the region of 30 different clubs over the seven years. I found these to be a really valuable opportunity to delve into my interests outside of the curriculum, and to see practical applications of my classwork. Greenpower was a highlight for me, and we built and designed a kit car that we raced at Goodwood. I was also an active member of Lunar Society, delivering several maths-themed lectures, and I served as Head of Sustainability in my Upper Sixth year.
KES was instrumental in helping me get to where I am today. Being surrounded by so many like-minded people within my peer group under the guidance and nurture of my teachers was my favourite part of KES. It provided me with the perfect forum to explore my passions and develop my intellectual curiosity. This spark is something that has somewhat contagiously caught on in my sisters and other family members too, with the effects of me going to a school like KES echoing well beyond my own individual growth.
I would encourage anyone thinking of applying for a bursary to attend KES to ‘Go for it’. Although it might all seem a little daunting, joining a brand new school, and leaving behind a lot of your friends, there were so many benefits to coming to KES, some that I’m only realising now, and I can’t imagine myself having been anywhere else.
I am truly grateful to all those who have supported the King Edward VI Foundation, and I want you to know that your generosity has reached far beyond a simple scholarship. A KES Bursary truly transforms lives: it fuels success stories, cultivates a community where diverse perspectives converge, and empowers all individuals to thrive. I look forward to being able to give back in whatever way I can to the school that has helped me so much.
KES Partnerships
We value our partnerships with local schools greatly, offering diverse workshops in subjects like Mathematics, Computing, Art, Science, Music, Drama, Coding, Dance, and Sport. KES students often lead these activities, developing personal skills and contributing to their Duke of Edinburgh Award.
As a School Partnerships Alliance Member 2023, KES focuses on improving outcomes for all young people in our region through collaborative learning.
Across all partnership activities in KES this year over 1,000 local primary aged children were given an opportunity to extend their access to learning. In addition, approximately 720 pupils were able to benefit from our ‘Little Library’ donations to four local schools.
The programme emphasises mutual benefit, fostering educational excellence, and strengthening connections with the local community. Every year we have expanded our partnership work, offering diverse opportunities for both KES students and those from our valued partner schools.
Sports Day event with Foundry Lane Primary School
CyberFirst Girls competition involving KES and Bishop Luffa School students
STEM workshops with local primary schools, featuring electronic game design and practical science experiences
Art workshops led by KES students for primary school pupils
Music collaborations, such as the King Edward VI String Day with local schools
English Department Public Speaking Competition with Wordsworth Primary
‘AI in Schools’ CPD opportunity for partnership school teachers
STEM-focused lectures open to local secondary schools and the community
Donation of ‘little libraries’ and books to four local primary schools
Year 10 Partnerships Day, hosting 160 primary school pupils for a range of activities and workshops
What People Say...
I have loved my experience helping out with the Partnerships programme and the skills it has taught me are ones I value greatly. - KES Partnerships Prefect
It gave them the confidence to have a go at something different and we have noticed a tangible difference this half term because of it! - Partner School Teacher
I had so much fun debating. My favourite thing was making new friends! - Primary School Pupil
Pupils were more confident when they had done these workshops and could see the possibilities for secondary Science. – Partner School Teacher
I believe that the Partnerships Day was a truly priceless experience, where we learnt how to help and care for younger children. The day showed me how kindness can lead to happiness and harmony. - Year 10 KES Pupil.
Today I learnt how to sing louder. I’m going to be a rockstar! - Year 5 Primary School Pupil
Giving
Charitable at
King Edward’s
The student-led Charities Commission is a huge part of school life, with many members at any one time. They encourage the entire school to be involved in awareness campaigns and fundraising activities.
Throughout the academic year students run a host of activities to support local and national charitable organisations. The Charities Commission will independently select charities that are close to their hearts. We then discuss the best strategies to help not only raise funds for the charity but also awareness.
The sixth form also take a key role in supporting charities and have strong links with three local charity groups: Nolimits, The Portsmouth Down Syndrome Association and The Partnerships Opportunity Programme supporting Kings Copse Junior School, a local school for visually impaired students.
For each of these charities students raise funds but more importantly they give their time and friendship to support others.
Monies Raised this year:
£1,660 for Scratch Southampton
£1,132 for Wessex Heartbeat
£1,000 for British Red Cross
£1,000 for Movember
£960 for Children In Need
£800 for Red for Ruth
£773 for Hampshire & IOW Air Ambulance
£550 for Southampton Animal Rescue
Non-monetary contributions:
137 hand-written Christmas cards delivered to local care homes
Over 50 toiletry items collected for the homeless
100 items collected to help end period poverty
What Our Charities Said About Us...
The incredible donation received from King Edward VI School has really helped make a positive difference.
- Wessex Heartbeat
Thank you so much for the lovely Christmas cards which were kindly delivered to our care home for the residents. The cards brought particular joy to those residents who have little or no contact from family or friends.
- Stanwell Resthome
No Limits is so grateful for the amazing partnership that we have with King Edward’s School. The young carers are always excited to be able to work with KES particularly the sixth formers involved in this partnership.
Thank you so much to everyone at King Edward VI School who raised vital funds to help keep our doctors, dispatchers, pilots and paramedics flying and saving lives. – Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance
I wanted to write to you to express my thanks for the toiletries collection. Both the amount and the quality was simply amazing. As a small charity serving the homeless and disadvantaged in Bournemouth, a donation such as this has literally made a huge difference to the folk we serve. - In Touch
Volunteering & Public Benefit
Pupils from across the school participate regularly in voluntary work within the local community.
This includes approximately 300 current pupils involved with voluntary work as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. In the past year, the collective hours volunteered by our pupils were 1885. The social value of these hours was £9,066.
In addition to direct involvement in charity and voluntary work by pupils, a large number of staff at King Edward’s are also involved with the local community and charities. Although this work is entirely voluntary and outside of their job roles, the school seeks to support such commitments as they reinforce our ethos and links into the community. In the last year these have included (but are not limited to):
• Eight members of staff serving as Governors in local Schools.
• Twenty members of staff providing voluntary coaching or administrative support for local sports organisations offering adult and youth sporting opportunities.
• Three members of staff volunteering through church events and organisations.
• Four members of staff being involved with scouting groups.
• Two members of staff volunteering for charities which support refugee services.
• Plus a wide range of other charities, support groups and events which promote and enhance the local environment and community.
The school also provides a range of third parties with the use of school facilities at no charge or at non-commercial community rates. In the last year nearly 30 different charitable and community groups benefitted from this approach.
Economic Impact
Considering King Edward VI School (KES) as a business, this section aims to consider the direct, indirect, and induced economic activities associated with the school's operations to present an overview of the economic impact. KES, with its longstanding tradition of excellence, has a significant influence on local employment, household incomes, business growth, and public sector finances.
Overall, independent schools play a pivotal role in the UK's education sector, not only by providing highquality education but also by acting as key economic drivers within their communities.
Schools affiliated to the Independent Schools Council (ISC) made a £14.1 billion contribution to the UK economy. That is equivalent to the total economic activity generated in a city the size of Sheffield (source ISC Economic Impact Report 2022). If this was scaled up to all independent schools in the UK, the estimated total economic footprint is around £16.5 billion, associated with over 328k jobs and £5.1 billion in tax revenues.
The study also found that independent schools save the taxpayer £4.4 billion every year by providing places for pupils who could otherwise be expected to take up a place in the state funded sector.
The impact of KES on the local economy was assessed using the Independent Schools Council (ISC) economic impact assessment tool and based on the 2022-2023 Annual report and Accounts.
By sharing this high-level economic impact analysis, this report aims to inform our community of the critical economic role played by KES in the local community and beyond, and to indicate the positive economic effects generated by our school. The report also aims to demonstrate the broader economic importance of KES beyond its educational mission.
KES is proud to play a significant role in local employment and job creation.
Key statistics:
258 est.
Direct employment jobs
130
Indirect employment jobs through supply chain
388 Supported jobs in total
Beyond direct and indirect employment, KES contributes significantly to the local and national economy.
Key statistics:
£33 million
Total contribution to GDP (approximately)
£14 million
Own GDP (approximately)
£7 million
GDP in school’s supply chain (approximately)
£12 million
UK GDP supported by staff and supply chain staff spending (approximately)
Tax Contributions
Key statistics:
£9.5 million
Total UK Tax supported by school’s activities
£4 million
Direct taxes (National Insurance, rates, corporation tax, staff income tax and NICs)
£9.5 million
Taxes in supply chain
£1.5 million
Taxes from ‘induced’ activity
Sustainability at King Edward’s
At KES we are committed to empowering future generations to live sustainably and make positive choices individually and for the community they live in.
Our goal is for our students to understand the challenges that the world is facing and enable decision making and problem solving to make positive change. Becoming carbon neutral is our longer-term sustainability ambition and we are striving to do this by considering the wider implications of our actions and decisions.
The needs of our School as well as the wider community are vast and our mission is to focus on two main areas: education and community
Sustainability Action Group
Sustainability Action Group is a dynamic studentled initiative that empowers learners across all age groups to address critical environmental challenges. From Year 7 to Upper Sixth, students collaborate weekly to develop strategies for sustainability education and action.
The group's approach encompasses:
Awareness and Education
• Delivering engaging monthly assemblies that spotlight environmental issues from diverse perspectives
• Hosting guest speakers with expertise in sustainability, climate action, and environmental conservation
• Creating informative displays and organising whole-school events that promote ecological understanding
Curriculum Integration
• Collaboratively developing sustainability-focused teaching and learning resources
• Embedding environmental consciousness into core subjects, ensuring a holistic approach to sustainability education
• Extending environmental learning through dedicated programs like PSHE, Foundation Studies, and Extended Studies
By providing a platform, the Sustainability Action Group empowers students to become informed, proactive environmental stewards. The initiative not only raises awareness but also cultivates critical thinking, leadership skills, and a genuine commitment to creating a more sustainable future.
Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in comprehensive building and environmental strategies that actively reduce our carbon footprint and promote energy efficiency:
Energy Transformation
• Conducted detailed thermal modelling of the main school building to optimise classroom energy performance
• Installed photovoltaic (PV) panels across the school roof, demonstrating a proactive approach to renewable energy generation
Over the past 14 months, our PV panels have:
• Reduced CO2 emissions by 13,988 kg
• Achieved an environmental impact equivalent to planting 846 trees
Lighting and Electrical Efficiency
• Replaced approximately 99% of lighting with LED solutions
• Implemented combined LED and PV panel strategies, resulting in a 12% reduction in electricity consumption
Carbon Sequestration and Green Spaces
• Ongoing tree planting initiatives to:
• Green the school campus
• Enhance local carbon sequestration
• Improve biodiversity and environmental aesthetics
Emerging Sustainability Projects
• Waste Management
• Currently developing innovative solutions for food waste recycling
• Exploring conversion methods including composting and biomass fuel production
• Heating System Modernisation
• Investigating alternative
heating technologies
• Conducting research into air and ground source heat pumps as potential future heating solutions
• Prioritizing energy-efficient and low-carbon heating alternatives as current systems age
This strategic approach demonstrates our holistic commitment to environmental sustainability, integrating technological innovation, resource efficiency, and ecological stewardship.
Future Goals & Commitments
The school remains committed to providing measurable and consequential benefits to our local community and economy.
In the past year we have:
• Created a development strategy and
• employed a Director of Development to stimulate additional funding to enable deserving young people from Southampton and the local area to be able to access a KES education through a growing bursary programme
• Revised our approach to identification of prospective bursary pupils so that bursary funding can better target those who would benefit the most from a KES education.
• Become affiliated with the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation, to allow looked after children to become Bursary Award holders at KES.
• In conjunction with Angela Browne of Being Luminary Consultancy Services, designed a comprehensive equity, diversity and inclusion strategy to promote the school as a welcoming environment for young people and potential employees regardless of their personal circumstances and background.
• Made new internal appointments to leadership positions for the promotion of faiths, diversity, charities and partnerships
• Built a financial strategy in response to significant new external financial pressures on the independent school sector and KES in order to protect our social commitments and partnerships to as great an extent as possible.
By these actions and plans, we hope in the coming years to be able to further grow our outreach work and to sustain and develop our well-established and extensive social and economic contributions for the good of our local community.
King Edward VI School