the gap between the advertising and reality of independent school bursaries

[inthename]

Why is there such a huge discrepancy between what independent schools advertise as the level of bursary available and what they actually offer? I've been exceedingly lucky and found schools who do what they say, but during the search have come across many schools who advertise large bursaries in their propectuses and on their websites, yet on enquiry admit that the maximum offered is actually 10% of the fees (this is specifically means tested bursaries, not scholarships) so how do they get away with capping the amount before the means testing has even been carried out? Are schools required to submit actual figures for bursaries given to any 'body' or commission or is it just 'we give x amount of thousands in bursaries' rather than how they are shared out?

It should all be somewhere in the Accounts.

They can be found on the school's own website, but if not published there try Companies House (for those which are businesses) or the Charity Commission.

This is an interesting post. I have just been told off on a other post for being negative about the size of Scolarships awarded. A school was quoted as giving up to 50% for an art scholarship but the school's website actually says 5% to 50%. So how many will actually get 50%? Very very few I would guess.

Returning to the bursaries question, Schools that are charities have to submit financial returns to the Charities Commission. Some schools are far wealthier than others and can give higher bursaries. I think capping is very wrong. It just means you get slightly less wealthy parents getting them and this is not what bursaries are about. As schools are not plc's they don't have to share their accounts and often just quote a large figure that covers everything. See if you can interrogate the charities commission to see what they give and to how many. Also, they keep money back to help deserving cases who fall on hard times but are already in the school. However I absolutely agree with you that the process should be fair and transparent, but I doubt it ever will be! I am amazed schools admitted to capping at 10% though as applying would be pointless for lots of people. It also suggests the school do not have enough money for bursaries. They may be trying to squeeze them out of fee income which is very hard to do at a small school. Not sure what anyone can do about it.

I agree it is a bit of a minefield. It is also an area where there has been a lot of movement over the last decade. Schools were told that they had to do more to show that they met the test of being charities for "the public benefit". When a few test cases were examined it became apparent that opening up facilities to the public for hire, or to other state schools, wasn't going to be sufficient, and most attention was being given to the provision of bursaries, so all schools suddenly had to provide some sort of bursary. And then the guidance changed again, so bursaries may not be as important. Most schools are charities out of historical legacy (the school has to run through some form of legal entity usually) and the trustees are trying to juggle fees and bursaries in order to cover their costs in what is sometimes a very competitive market.

That said I am amazed that a bursary could be quite so limited in its benefit. A 10% bursary would soon be eaten up by fee inflation.

All of the sales in the shops are 'up to 50%', this isn't really any different. I expect those who get the highest in the scholarship exams get the highest scholarships, but most are token amounts and are not means tested. The bursaries are means tested, allowing bright children from less well off backgrounds to access the school.

This is a very interesting question. Many years ago I actually complained to the charities commission about one school who claimed extensively on their website/advertising and in fact still to be needs blind but were not. They said it was "outside of their jurisdiction".
Ten years ago it looked like many were going to become more generous with their bursaries but I think those were the golden days for bursaries then the recession hit, many schools particular boarding schools are struggling to fill their vacancies and frankly just don't have that volume of spare money kicking around to fund lots of substantial bursaries because let's face it that's what most will need if fees are 33-35k a year and as ladymuck said the guidance changed bursaries are now less important.
There are a few that are really committed, usually the very wealthy i.e. lots of valuable assets, the very selective and very over subscribed, to needs blind admissions. I think I read somewhere that this is the "vision" of my DS's school, by ?2020, but my DH's old school (very wealthy, very over subscribed and very selective) was saying the same thing 6-7 years but I notice they've toned it down in the bumph they send out to old boys in the last couple of years. A lot seems to depends on the current governors and head my DH's school has a new head and he seems less committed.

I remember looking at a Private school for my eldest - some years ago now. Fees were about £30K a year (it was a private special school), and they offered up to 10% bursary IF the family were on an income of £24K or less.

I mean - really??? How could a family on £24K afford 90% of the fees?

On the other hand, I know someone at St Swithins in Winchester who was awarded a 110% bursary.

There is also an increased trend for schools to be contacting their alumni in order to raise funds from them too. Not sure how successful such drives are given that often the alumni are paying for their own offspring.

Schools still do give very generous amounts, a child I taught a couple of years ago, just about to go into yr 10, was offered full boarding fees and music lessons from 2 senior schools. It helped she was also applying on a music scholarship.

Schools will also be more generous for certain types of pupils, so many co-ed schools will be more generous with girls as they have less of them so want them more! A local school near us often writes asking if we have girls to put forward for scholarships.

absolutely there are still schools who are very generous, I've just been really surprised when I've been contacting some schools (some 'big' well known names as well) who claim that they offer means tested bursaries at 50% plus range. Then, when you contact the bursar, discuss your full details and in some cases get asked for a registration fee before they will give an indication, they then say that the highest means tested bursary they have ever given is actually 10%, or as in one case I had, the maximum is less than one terms fees when blazed all over their bursary page is information on how they wish to improve accessibility to families who couldn't possibly afford that kind of money.
I personally wouldn't want my child to become interested in going to a particular school without knowing whether that school can assist or not, so it would be much more honest of the schools to add a simple sentence that each years means tested awards do depend on the amount of applicants they have and how the funds have to be divided and indeed what the maximum they've routinely awarded is.

I found that the only school who were upfront was the one his got into I knew if he got a place what I would be paying and I budgeted accordingly there were a couple of schools we didn't try for as even with a bursary it was still out of reach unfortunately. I personally found CH to be very vague on bursary awards , I think it would be beyond cruel to go through tests , open days etc then in the end you can't afford what they are asking for but I guess its the risk you run. But as recommended to me by the knowledge lady muck never be scared to talk about money if you can't afford it say so what's the worst that can happen ?. If they want your child they can and DO increase bursaries.

fwiw dd got a 30% (music) scholarship plus tuition on two instruments, as did two people from her school (noone got a 50%, just these three @ 30% each). i know of someone who got (so she told me) a 100% bursary for the same school).