Going back to our roots

The traditional role that independent schools played in helping children from poorer families to receive a good education is being resurrected. Does this, asks Caitlin Davies, mean a return to means-tested scholarships?

Independent schools are returning to their historical roots by offering more means-tested scholarships, as well as bursaries, for those who can't afford the fees. There are 2,400 independent schools in the UK, including day and boarding schools, single-sex and coeducational, catering for pupils from two to 18. Parents can expect to pay up to £6,000 a term for the most expensive.

"It used to be thought that only rich and privately educated people sent their children to independent schools," says the Independent Schools Council (ISC) website. "This is certainly not true now. Instead, nearly half of children entering independent schools have parents who were educated in the state system and the children come from every sort of background."

Many senior schools and some junior schools have traditionally offered scholarships to attract bright or talented pupils, regardless of family income. They are usually awarded after a student excels either in the school's own entrance examination or the common entrance exam which can be taken at 11, 12 or 13. It's rare, however, that scholarships cover the whole fees, and some may cover just 10 per cent. So most schools have bursaries, or grants, which are based on a family's income. Some schools offer grants to children of clergy, teachers and those in the armed forces. Others give help to children of former pupils, single-parent families and orphans. Fees at independent schools vary and depend on the age of the pupils, whether they are day or boarding, and sometimes on the school's location. A pre-preparatory school (for those aged two-seven) costs up to £1,300 a term; a junior school (for those aged seven to 11 or 13) costs up to £2,900 a term for day students and up to £4,600 for boarding. The fees for senior schools (age 11 or 13 to 18) are as high as £4,000 for day students and £6,100 for boarding.

But then there are the extras, such as musical instrument tuition and school trips, which can add another 10 per cent to the bill - not to mention the cost of uniforms, stationary and medical supplies.

Many independent schools are now reviewing their scholarship policies. Instead of just offering awards based on academic merit, more funds are being directed to means-tested scholarships and bursaries. In many cases this is a return to the aims of the schools' founders.

Graham Able has been the head of Dulwich College since 1997 and is the new chair of Head Masters Conference (HMC), which represents the heads of 240 independent schools. His concern is the need to increase the value of means-tested scholarships to encourage wider access to independent schools. Ten years ago HMC schools agreed to limit their scholarships to cover a maximum of 50 per cent of school fees. Any extra financial help was to go to families in need.

"Our approach to scholarships at Dulwich is a historical look back to the aims of the school's original founders," says Mr Able. Back in 1619 the idea was to provide scholarships to "the sons of poor families who were intelligent enough to benefit from a Dulwich education". Mr Able says most independent schools were founded prior to 1830 when scholarships were introduced for this purpose.

A more modern idea, introduced in Victorian times, was to award scholarships on merit not family income. But this has led to concerns that those from less advantaged backgrounds are being excluded.

Around a third of boys at Dulwich now have some form of scholarship or bursary, which costs the school around £1.2m a year. Dulwich is a boy's-only boarding and day school in London with scholarships for art, music, sport and design. Scholarships are based on academic merit and pupils have to pass the school's entrance exam and subsequent interview. Bursaries on the other hand are for "boys who are academically not up to scholarship standard but who are still strong candidates whose families cannot afford the fees".

Bursaries can cover every penny of the school fees and Mr Able estimates there are at least 12 boys on such bursaries up to GCSE level, with others on bursaries of 80 or 90 per cent. From next September, Dulwich has lowered the scholarship limit to cover a maximum of 33 per cent of fees, and this could be further reduced in the future.

"We want the widest possible socio-economic intake while remaining academically elitist," explains Mr Able. "Morally, we feel the funds should be devoted to those who need it." From next year, the school's sport scholarship at 13-plus will be means-tested.

Dick Davison, joint director of the Independent Schools Council Information Service, says that while scholarships are usually based on academic merit, there are an increasing variety of awards including music and art, as well as the relatively recent addition of sports. "Schools are looking for pupils who show excellence in the entrance exam but who also display a range of other aptitudes that contribute to the school," says Mr Davison. Sherborne School in Dorset, for example, a full boarding and day school for boys, offers scholarships in art, music, science/technology and an all-rounder award.

The girls' school North London Collegiate made 32 offers of fee assistance last year, including four sixth-form bursaries. The latter were "very closely means-tested", says the school's head, Bernice McCabe, and meant taking into account family income, the value of the family home and other assets. Some of the awards were based on academic or musical ability and were not means-tested, but there were 12 Year 7 bursaries which were awarded on family income. "It's a mixture," says Mrs McCabe. "It depends on the ability each year, how exceptional the girls are, and on parental means. Some couldn't come unless we pay all the fees." But she says it's been part of the school's philosophy since its foundation in 1850, to offer financial help for "able girls from poorer families".

Why do independent schools offer scholarships anyway? "It's a recognition of talent," says Mr Davison. "The fact that scholarships are limited to 50 per cent of the fees, and schools now devote more funds to means-tested bursaries means they recognize the need to direct their resources to families in need." The move towards more means-tested awards follows on from the end of the government's assisted places scheme. However some independent schools don't offer scholarships, or not ones that are means-tested, and a few are less than keen to discuss the topic at all.