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“the College recognises that not all can afford its fees”

Wider access to education

Eastbourne College > College Life > Public Benefit > Wider access to education

As an independent fee-paying school, the College recognises that not all can afford its fees and one of the College’s most significant public benefits is to give the opportunity of an Eastbourne College education to pupils whose parents could not afford to educate their children at the College otherwise.

Every year the College gives financial support in the form of means tested bursaries to fund pupils who would not otherwise be able to come. Fee remission varies in value from a minimum of 10% to to a maximum of 100% depending on financial need. During the academic year 2007/8 the school is providing financial assistance to 70 pupils in the form of means tested bursaries to a value of just under £380,000 (nearly four times the tax benefit arising from charitable status), with some pupils receiving fee remission up to the maximum of 100% (and agreed allowances for uniform, activities and trips).

Every year the College also awards scholarships to attract some of the most able pupils in a number of fields: academia, music, sport, drama, design and technology and science. These pupils are awarded scholarships for both their individual potential and their potential to act as ‘yeast’ to others in the College community, thus enhancing the quality of education for all. In 2007/8 there are 126 pupils in the school who have been awarded scholarships; the fee remission ranges from 10% to 50% of the fees, to a value of £ 512,000. Many of those on scholarships would have been eligible for the same amount of support through means-tested bursaries had they not been successful in open competition for their awards, which carry with them prestige as well as financial aid. A fair number of those in receipt of scholarships see their awards improved further by means-tested bursaries.

September 2002 saw the establishment of the Eastbourne College Foundation, whose primary aim is to widen access to the school; the Governors decided that the first £500,000 of cumulative net income would be allocated to bursaries unless the donor/legator specified otherwise. By the end of the academic year 2006/7, income of £485,000 had been received and this has been allocated to means tested bursaries.

A number of bursaries and scholarships owe their funding to philanthropy.

The College also generates considerable income from the provision of its facilities for summer schools and other activities. This money underpins the means-tested bursary scheme.