ETON ONWARDS 2023-24_WEB_Pages_small by eton.college

FROM THE PROVOST & THE HEAD MASTER | 01 ETON ONWARDS

This will be my last foreword to Eton Onwards before I hand over to my excellent successor, Sir Nicholas Coleridge (GRSt A 75), who is already giving much help and support to the work of the Development team under Justin Nolan. Eton is in robust health. The School itself goes on providing an outstanding education for the remarkable boys who come here, some at least of whom it has been Caroline’s and my privilege to get to know. We never cease to be amazed at the range of talents and interests the boys demonstrate: some spectacular, academically, musically, on the stage or as stars of our many sports. But just as interesting are those who may not win all the accolades but who quietly develop into the good citizens who are at the heart of any sound community.

It has been a time of challenge, with Covid, with the technological revolution of social media and AI, with political turmoil and with almost every accepted belief system under attack from one direction or another. Never has there been a time when well-founded education has been more important. As the boys I have known here in the last fifteen years become part of a generation facing very difficult issues from climate change to dangerous geopolitics, all I can say is that those who have taught them here at Eton, both inside and outside the division room, have done well. Their former pupils will be on the side of those who want to make the world a better place.

That is why we need the continuing help of our friends and supporters. Eton in the last decade has transformed itself into one of the true leaders of private-public educational partnership, in our alliance with Star Academies and in many other practical areas. This is not just rhetoric: we are committing serious resources to the new initiatives, and that resource must not diminish what is needed at Eton - because it is what is done here for the benefit of our boys, both those whose parents pay and those for whom our bursary programme pays, which gives us the skills which we know can help many more in our partner schools elsewhere. So we cannot let up on necessary investment here at Eton if we are to make our new investment beyond Eton fulfil its potential.

We have already had a magnificent response from you. We are on the way. As I retire, I shall watch from the distant Mendip Hills as the full programme unfolds and achieves, as I know it will, something of which our founder and all his long line of successors, my predecessors, would be proud.

Lord Waldegrave Of North Hill (AJM, RDM 65)

Eton in the last decade has transformed itself into one of the true leaders of private-public educational partnership, in our alliance with Star Academies and in many other practical areas.

02 | ETON ONWARDS

This last year has been a busy and productive one. It is always hard to condense all the activities that take place at Eton in a way that fully captures the energy, good humour and diversity of ambition among the boys and staff here. Any one weekend will stand for the whole. Were you to visit at any point in the year you would see an extraordinary range of activities from choral services in chapel, through orchestra rehearsals, play performances, sporting endeavours as well as those more informal moments that make boarding such a valuable experience. Our boys have not just been restricted to the Thames Valley either; they enjoy forays off-site too, whether to debating competitions, the Model United Nations, mountaineering, or countless other activities. I remain immensely proud of the vibrant life of the College.

In order to support this and to ensure that we remain at the forefront of education, we are currently undertaking a curriculum review. This is intended to be a detailed examination of the range of what we teach both inside and outside the classroom. It aims to ensure that we retain our balance – which is always hard in a world in thrall to novelty. Ralph Oliphant-Callum is leading this and seeking to maintain the breadth of a boy’s experience and finding ways to acknowledge and celebrate such values as endeavour and resilience as much as those achievements which are more easily measured. We will report back fully once the process is concluded. As I write this the contractors are busy putting the finishing touches to both the Fives and Rackets Courts. These are precursors to a wider reconstruction of our indoor sports facilities due to commence later this year and Hopkins Architects have done a distinguished job in giving new life to venerable buildings. We are very pleased that each will also act as memorial to Michael Constantinidi and Charles Cadogan respectively.

Finally, I would like to take the opportunity in this publication to thank William Waldegrave for his leadership in the development arena – as elsewhere. He and Caroline have been wonderful advocates for Eton and I know that many of you reading this will have experienced their hospitality over the past fifteen years. Since William became Provost our community of donors has given more than £100 million to support a range of initiatives from bursaries and scholarships to major capital developments such as School Hall and the Queen’s Schools, and the Eton Star Partnerships. In that time through philanthropy and prudent management the endowment has doubled in size. He will say that it has been a team effort, but every good team needs a captain and, if he will forgive the football analogy, he has certainly been that.

Once again it is my great pleasure to conclude by thanking you for your support and generosity over the past year. Looking ahead we can see many challenges on the horizon, but we can face them with equanimity sustained by the knowledge that we have many friends and supporters standing with us.

Thank you.

Simon Henderson

Looking ahead we can see many challenges on the horizon, but we can face them with equanimity sustained by the knowledge that we have many friends and supporters standing with us.

THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

ETON ONWARDS

To follow my analogy of last year, if we began by digging foundations then in 2022/23 we began to build. We now have a clear strategy and an overarching fundraising plan. Our first question to everyone is: doyouwanttosupport Eton?. We hope that as many as possible will answer in the affirmative. That opens the door to a wide-ranging conversation, within the established framework, around where an individual’s interest and enthusiasm may lie – whether it be transformative bursaries, Eton’s work extra muros, or in the more traditional sphere of capital projects.

We will continue to be the institution that speaks up for the power of the endowment. In a world ever more closely driven by the needs of the here and now I do hope that you will be struck by our commitment to the long term –one might even say the contemplation of eternity.

I was recently asked whether Eton was really committed to honouring its donors once their gift was a decade old; my answer was simple – we still remember Roger Lupton’s bequest of 1540 and our institutional memory is positively elephantine. We hope that our donors will want to endow their gifts ensuring that the generosity outlives them and the generations that follow.

Our commitment to a clear strategy is beginning to bear fruit whether it be in the upcoming plans to rebuild the Whitely Hall and the sports facilities, the emergence of the Orwell Awards as key to our bursary provision and the identification of key plots of land where our new schools will be built in partnership with Star Academies. I hope

donors will be encouraged that they will be contributing to a well-founded plan which is both comprehensible and coherent.

Let me conclude by adding my thanks to those of the Head Master and Provost. As I sit each year and prepare this letter I reflect on the nature of your collective generosity. I hope you will be assured that it is never taken for granted. When the Provost reads out the names of our major donors on Founder’s Day he draws out a golden thread in Eton’s history. I feel a great responsibility to ensure that thread is never cut – thank you for all you have done this year to make sure that is so.

Justin Nolan

We hope that our donors will want to endow their gifts ensuring that the generosity outlives them and the generations that follow.

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BURSARIES PROGRAMME

We strongly believe that financial limitations should not serve as a barrier to accessing an Eton education. As an educational charity, we take great pride in having provided high-quality education to young pupils from low-income backgrounds since our establishment in 1440. We consider the provision of funding for bursaries an integral part of the College's development plan.

We're deeply grateful for the support of our generous parents, Old Etonians and friends, who have strengthened and expanded our bursaries programme. You can learn more about the positive impact of your support by reading the inspiring stories of the pupils featured on the following pages.

YOUR

BURSARIES SUPPORT IN ACTION 2022/23

£46,296

Full fees per annum 69% Average means tested award as a percentage

£9,214k

The amount we spent supporting pupils

We strongly believe that financial limitations should not serve as a barrier to accessing an Eton education.

20% Of pupils financially supported (265 pupils)

105 Pupils on full bursaries

I was born in Spain, where my dad ran a successful grocery shop and bar. But that was hit hard by the financial crash of 2008 and my mother’s sister recommended moving to England for work. We moved to Huddersfield when I was nine years old. I didn't speak any English so that was a challenge. Although I think I’m happy I ended up with the Yorkshire accent.

I always enjoyed Maths and -unlike other subjects -my progress wasn’t slowed down by having to learn a new language when we moved to the UK. By year nine my teacher at Newsome Academy noticed I was working a few years ahead of my peers. He was the one who told me about Eton. Six days before the deadline for applications he emailed me on a Saturday to tell me it looked like a great opportunity. I had some doubts. I wasn’t sure I could write a two-page personal statement in the time left. I

didn’t want to get my hopes up. But I decided to go for it after my teacher said there was a 99.9% chance of me being rejected, which took the pressure off!

I was amazed to be shortlisted and invited down to see the School. My initial concern was that it really did look like the kind of place where royalty went to school and I was worried that I wouldn’t fit in. But everybody was surprisingly normal. They were really welcoming and I really relished the exams which allowed me to dive into topics that weren’t on the curriculum. I was excited to see Eton was encouraging that breadth of knowledge.

When I found out I had a place at Eton I didn’t know how to feel. I’d convinced myself I wouldn't get in and that whole week was surreal! My friends from home really helped me. They told me not to think I was abandoning them but rather that I was making them proud. That was so kind as I was worried about moving away from home.

But as the time approached, I found myself more excited about all the extra-curricular activities. There’s so much going on at Eton and that means you’re much more likely to find something that suits you. Once I started at the School I tried drama. But although I’m a bit of a comedian in regular life, I wasn’t very good at being on stage. But then I moved on to learning the sitar – which other schools offer sitar tuition?! – and I found I really enjoyed that. I love the very mathematical nature of the instrument and it sounds very cool. I’m not great at the classic school sports like football and rugby. But I decided to give horse riding a whirl and that was great.

Being at Eton has really boosted my confidence. I’ve learned to step out of my comfort zone and have a shot at new things. I feel braver, more relaxed about talking to new people. I’ve flourished and my greatest achievement is becoming an academic prefect.

I’m studying Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics at A level. I’d like to study Maths and Philosophy at university. I’m not sure which university I’d like to attend yet. I don’t know what I’d like to do with my life yet and Eton has taught me that you don’t have to rush into those decisions too early because there are so many options. I’m quite interested in staying in academia or research though. I definitely can picture myself doing a PhD.

Gagan Singh OS (PEPW 24)

Gagan's story

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I grew up in Dagenham. Ethnically I’m Nigerian, of Yoruba and Igbo descent. My mother was born in Nigeria and my father was born in the UK but spent much of his childhood living in Nigeria.

At four years old I started learning to play the violin and started on the piano a year later. Although I am a better technical player on the violin – I always find myself enjoying improvising on the piano, and thus have more practice on that instrument. Forming my first band at the age of eight, we were aptly named “Elijah and the Prophets”, by the Director of Music at my earlier school.

Before Eton I attended a music school called The Purcell School for Young Musicians. I was comfortable at Purcell and wasn’t sure about moving at first until I went to visit Eton. After my visit, I was stunned by the facilities, the opportunities to get involved in numerous activities.

Although I was initially classically trained, in the two years before my admittance I began to play more in the jazz style. I ended up having the Head of Jazz as my music tutor when I arrived. I can’t thank him enough for the many opportunities he’s given me and the impact he’s had on my ability to organise concerts and perform and on a couple of occasions conduct Big Band.

Before I arrived at Eton I had already boarded, I didn’t have such a big adjustment to make in terms of boarding. Entering as a musician left me with more commitments than others, which was challenging, but over time, I began to find better ways to manage my schedule

I had only ever played football before Eton. I had a growth spurt just before I arrived and a few weeks into the term I was introduced to rugby. After some friendlies, I played my first competitive game with the D team and managed to score four tries in my first game. My House Master is a big rugby fan, and he really encouraged me to continue playing competitively and I eventually became a regular player on the B team. Although I decided to stop playing competitively after repetitive ankle injuries, I still enjoyed playing recreationally.

I’ve also enjoyed being part of and leading the backstage crew in Eton’s world-class theatre. I did my first play as a stage manager in year 10 and ended up stage managing the School Plays in years 11 and 12. It was so fulfilling, keeping shows moving so smoothly, watching some amazing actors at work.

I’ve also enjoyed the music competitions. I haven’t won the String prize, but I did get Commended last year for playing the first movement of Edouard Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, and this year for playing a piece which I had composed. I’ve also been Highly Commended by adjudicators for my entries in the Senior Jazz competition and the Composition competition this year. I wrote a jazz piece last year which was performed by the Senior Jazz Ensemble (with me on piano) and it was incredible to see those musicians breathe life into something I’d created.

I am studying Music Technology, Mathematics and Physics for my A levels and I’d like to study composition for films at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

My old friends had expected that I’d have a complete change of personality when I came to Eton. That hasn’t happened, although there’s no doubt my outlook and mindset have changed. I’m a lot more ambitious, and a lot more competitive than I was before I came to the School. Eton raises the standard, and it would be a waste of the opportunity not to aim for stars. Being surrounded by so many clever boys leaves you wanting to continually up your game. I’m never going to stop looking for ways to improve at what I do and I’m never going to stop trying new things.

Elijah Tolefe MS (PRKB 24)

Elijah's story

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Patrick's story

We set up a family foundation about 20 years ago and I’ve always been passionate about access to education. We started out by supporting two very smart Palestinian boys from a refugee camp in the West Bank. It was a great success and we started to build from there.

I had been an Eton boy myself. So, I approached William (Eric) Anderson who was my Head Master when I was at the School and was the Provost when I began to look into bringing kids from the Middle East. He was very open to the idea of welcoming some boys into the Eton community for the sixth form. We decided it would be too much of a culture shock for younger students. Our first Etonian was a Palestinian called Mohamad. Mohamad was a brilliant student and the School’s staff were very serious about taking care of him. There’s an Al Jazeera documentary called: Mohamad at Eton in which you can see his journey from a refugee camp to wearing tails.

07 ETON ONWARDS

What started out as an amateur experiment proved a huge hit and we have continued sending boys to Eton for many years now. The Horizon Foundation is now professionally run by a woman of Palestinian heritage who was born in Lebanon. It supports 35-40 kids every year: half are Palestinian and we also support Syrian and Tibetan students. We pay all their expenses and we provide pastoral support.

I remember reading an article in the newspaper about Rohid* – an Afghani-born student who’d been admitted to Eton. I was very moved by his story and I thought he sounded like a kid with a lot of potential. I checked if he could be part of our programme and everyone agreed we could support him.

He excelled at Eton. Like a number of these kids, we really took him under our wing. He’s become part of our family. He’s spent time in our home, on holiday with us. I love to watch him play football with my sons. They’ve come to understand his story and they love him.

When you bring boys, like Rohid, into a school like Eton who come from diverse backgrounds and cultures, they can have a tremendous impact on their peers, who might otherwise be surrounded only by students from a particular ethnicity, social class or economic background. Where Eton has really excelled is in the way it has encouraged diversity in recent years. There’s a professional infrastructure supporting these boys.

I’ve always enjoyed giving opportunities to talented kids. I’m hugely grateful that I’m in a position to do that. I’ve always taken an interest in people and these students have helped deepen my understanding of the world and its cultures. You watch kids come from challenging circumstances and thrive at Eton, going on to the UK’s best universities. It’s such a joy and a privilege. I feel so fortunate to be a part of their lives.

Patrick Smulders (CNG 84)

* Read Rohid's story on the following page

You watch kids come from challenging circumstances and thrive at Eton, going on to the UK's best universities. It's such a joy and a privilege.

| ETON ONWARDS

My parents were both born and raised in Afghanistan. My dad was fairly well educated – an engineer. My mother, as a woman under that regime, wasn’t able to access much education. They grew up experiencing fear and violence on a daily basis. As a toddler I can remember playing with a toy car on the floor when a bomb exploded outside our house.

The thing I remember about coming to the UK was that my dad kept saying: you have so many opportunities now, work as hard as you can to make the best of that. And that philosophy has always driven me.

My high school in Hull had a ‘gifted and talented’ cohort which encouraged us to aim higher. I was shown the Eton College prospectus by the head teacher who thought it might be a good fit for me. I hadn’t heard of Eton. I was impressed when I googled it and applied without any real

expectation that an immigrant boy from Hull would get into a school like that.

Money was a huge concern. My dad’s qualifications weren't valid in the UK. We came as asylum seekers which means you’re not allowed to work. You’re given vouchers for food and clothes. They say you’re allowed to get an education here but only if you pay for it yourself and you can’t do that with the vouchers. So, when I got accepted by Eton it felt like my world exploded with possibilities. Luckily, I got a full scholarship. I was then fortunate that the Horizon Foundation found out about me and took over that scholarship. They paid for my books, sportswear –anything I needed. It meant that I didn’t feel I was lacking the things the other boys had.

The sporting opportunities were fantastic. I was already very keen on rugby, having been contracted to a rugby club before coming to the College. But then I was injured and I couldn’t compete at the same level. But I transferred that sporting passion to martial arts. I went on to join the Martial Arts Society at Eton and later won a national kickboxing competition.

All this was funded by Horizon but it took a while for me to meet Patrick and Kiki, who I really wanted to thank in person. They were an exceptionally friendly, open family. They invited me to stay in their home in London on short breaks when it wasn’t practical for me to get back to Hull. Over time they became a second family, I cannot put into words the positive impact they continue to have on me and all the other students they support.

I took Biology, Chemistry and Maths A levels at Eton because I was already interested in Medicine. I studied Medicine at Leeds University, wanting to be closer to my family after living so far away from home. I’m only in the early days of my medical career at the moment but I’d like to specialise in orthopaedic surgery. I’m grateful that my Eton connections helped me get a fascinating work experience placement at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore which really helped me get on track. In the long term my goal goes beyond healthcare locally. I’d like to go out to Afghanistan, Palestine and other Middle Eastern countries where I can set up a medical organisation to help victims of the violence there. I’d like to be able to spend some time each year in places that need the most help, training local people to deal with traumatic situations.

My dream is also to support education in Afghanistan because without that there's much less hope for the people. My parents, Eton College and the Horizon Foundation have all showed me that education is the way out of these really difficult situations. I've been so fortunate to get such an amazing education. I’d like to help other Afghan students to achieve their potential too.

Rohid Zamani (TEWH 15)

Rohid's story

ONWARDS

ETON FUNDAMENTALS | 09

Eton Fundamentals are what we call that extraordinary range of curricular activities, both academic and otherwise, which are so fundamental to the experience of the boys and the education they receive. We are very clear that the delivery of these activities – with as few barriers to entry as we can – is critical to Eton’s identity. We are grateful to our donors who continue to support and help us expand and improve the extraordinary range of curricular and co-curricular programmes available to pupils.

Within the framework of EstoPerpetua we offer two key approaches to supporting this area. The first is through contributing to capital costs - our plans for the new indoor sports facilities are now complete. They will deliver a wide range of different spaces from a giant indoor sports hall to squash courts, a climbing wall and a dojo. At the same time, we are also asking that donors consider sponsoring co-curricular activities themselves, from endowing the role of the Anderson Fellows; graduate assistants who can bring so much youthful enthusiasm to the College, as well as experts in fields as broad as chess, dance and fencing. Such gifts help support the College’s overall financial health and allow you to see an area you love continue to flourish.

It is also possible to endow our teaching departments. This is rather on the model of endowing a Chair at a university. Endowing our Heads of Departments will support the unique quality of the academic education we provide at Eton and will ensure that departments thrive as hubs of scholarship not only at Eton but also through our partnerships more widely.

In all these areas there are opportunities to celebrate your generosity and add your name or that of someone you admire to the Eton lexicon. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the Salata Auditorium is now open and the Rackets and Fives projects are in their final stages before completion. The field is open to tackle new opportunities.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, the Salata Auditorium is now open and the Rackets and Fives projects are in their final stages before completion.

10 | ETON ONWARDS

The extraordinary College Collections are made up of more than 160,000 artefacts, specimens and files of documents. Each of these objects carries with it the stories of people – of makers, owners, users, artists, subjects, dedicatees and others. We can trace particularly poignant stories in a series of four large-scale, centuryold designs that were recently conserved with the help of donor funding. These watercolour cartoons, the largest works on paper in the collection, were painted by Amy Akers-Douglas (d.1962) as designs for the four tapestries that hang in Lower Chapel as a memorial to the 1,158 Old Etonians and Masters killed during the First World War. Half the size of the final tapestries, the cartoons include all the details – depicting the life of St George as typifying the fallen men - necessary for the weavers (one of them a wounded WW1 veteran) to create the finished works. The delicate cartoons have been repaired, stabilised and reframed to protect them from environmental and physical damage and to show them to their best advantage.

Recent generous donations are also making it possible to shine a light on ever more of the fascinating objects in the College’s care through the sponsorship of cataloguing initiatives. Thanks to one of these, a fixed-term cataloguer working with the Fine and Decorative Art collection is making steady progress in cataloguing heretofore unrecorded artworks at Eton. Since embarking on the project, she has so far catalogued more than 200 items, fittingly including recent gifts to the College: a substantial bequest from an Old Etonian mostly comprising

HISTORIC COLLECTIONS

watercolours by significant British artists, and a group of works given by a former member of staff, including unusual views of College buildings.

In College Library, donors have enabled us to engage specialist cataloguers to focus on two markedly different collections of unique materials: 19th and 20th century personal archives of literary, historical and musical interest, and also medieval and Renaissance manuscripts. The Library’s archives, consisting of manuscripts, autograph letters, printed and written ephemera, memorabilia, photographs and drawings, have over the years become increasingly significant for teaching and research. They have great cultural breadth and vary in size from a few hundred items to many thousands. Since joining the team, the project archivist has catalogued both large and small archives from scratch, as well as accruals to other collections.

At the other end of the temporal spectrum, Eton’s collection of early manuscripts is of international scholarly importance; these include the Eton Choirbook, at Eton since its creation around 1500 and more recently added to UNESCO’s UK Memory of the World register. A significant donation has made it possible to fund a part-time cataloguer with the academic, linguistic, palaeographical and codicological expertise needed to prepare records to a standard appropriate to their status. This work is making them much more easily accessible to a global audience, alongside the many thousands of other items now represented in the College Collections’ online catalogue.

CAPITAL PROJECTS

This year we are coming to the final phase of the sports building programme. We began a number of years ago with the Tennis Courts and the crisply designed Willowbrook Pavilion. This was followed by the building of Athens, our pool with the associated sports hall. At the same time, we have embarked upon the refurbishment and redesign of the Rackets courts and the Fives courts, including the creation of the first ‘club room’ for each sport.

Hopkins Architects has come up with an elegant and spare design for the main sports hall. It will involve the refurbishment and rebuild of the Whiteley Hall as well as the rifle range. The hall will be turned into a two-storey building with an open space for the athlete development programme on the first floor and a dojo beneath.

Offset from this will be the entrance hall, with a classroom above leading into the squash courts, a climbing wall and a giant open sports hall beyond.

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

The emphasis is on the proliferation of usable spaces with a sturdy and robust architecture which will sit happily within the Eton conservation area, allowing the large blocks to merge quietly into the landscape. We have aimed to allow as many different activities to take place simultaneously which will facilitate an effective sports programme during periods of frost or flood. The façade on Common Lane with its use of the local brick vernacular will maintain the existing integrity of the area.

We have aimed to allow as many different activities to take place simultaneously which will facilitate an effective sports programme during periods of frost or flood.

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ETON STAR SCHOOLS PROGRAMME

In August 2023 the Government announced funding for ‘Wave 15’ of the Free School Programme. Among the projects for which funding was granted were the three schools to be opened by the Eton Star Partnership. This fired the starting gun in a race to get our first school opened by 2027.

Immediately Eton and Star Academies commenced work on the process of turning these schools from an idea on paper to three newly-built sixth forms of 480 pupils each with their own curriculum, unique culture and recognised identity within their locality.

This is a very complex project. Star is taking the lead in identifying, taking possession of and building on the new sites. This requires an agreement between the local councils and central government. Fortunately, Star has years of experience in this area and had laid the groundwork for developing a good relationship with each council ensuring that we are able to access land near

the critical transport hubs which will be so important for allowing a wide geographical spread for the intake.

Sean Costello, Eton’s Head of Educational Opportunity, has been working tirelessly in the three areas of Oldham, Middlesbrough and Dudley to build relationships with local feeder schools and to support them with educational material, including access to the EtonX platform which will be a crucial component in providing additional support to young people in the area. Meanwhile, colleagues in the Development office have been engaging with local stakeholders and especially businesses and local philanthropists in order to build support for these institutions from their very inception.

Of course there is much yet to do but, to borrow the timeless phrase of a certain Old Harrovian, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT | 13 ETON ONWARDS

Thank you for your generous support for Eton. Since joining the Development office in May 2022, as Head of Development, I have anticipated writing this expression of gratitude and introduction to the fundraising component of the Eton Onwards Financial Report. At the time, I could not have predicted the collective and individual generosity that you – Old Etonians, parents and friends – would bestow upon this great institution. Your benefaction has resulted in Eton experiencing the second most successful fundraising result in a decade both in terms of funds raised and also in terms of the number of participants. With such support occurring in the midst of a period of economic uncertainty, decreased return on our endowment, and facing the possibility of VAT on school fees, it may have been the most successful in terms of timeliness. For this, Eton expresses the utmost gratitude. Your generosity has ranged from transformational commitments to bursaries, capital projects and the Eton Star Schools Programme to sustaining commitments in the form of regular and annual support for Eton Fundamentals (teaching & learning and co-curricular), the Historic Collections and Eton’s Greatest Need (unrestricted). As you may notice below, this year the designations for donations are presented in six categories rather than four as previously presented. In doing so, we hope to provide you with a more complete illustration of where support is being committed while also aligning our reporting with the development plan, EstoPerpetua . Each designation is described in a brief summary below and further details for each can be found in the ‘Support Us’ section of the College’s website. Thank you again for your generosity and continued support.

Benjamin Smith

Bursaries

Eton College was founded to provide education to poor scholars and it has always made financial support for its pupils a key priority. In 2022/23, we were proud to have been able to support more than 20% of the boys with some level of bursary and provide support for 105 boys to pay no fees. From our founding such support has been made possible through philanthropy, and our flagship Bursary Programme relies on the support of donors like you.

Eton Star Schools Programme

Your support for this ambitious initiative will enable Eton to share its resources and expertise more widely to tackle educational inequality in the UK. Approved by the Department for Education in August 2023, Eton is working towards establishing three new selective state sixth form colleges in the north and midlands in partnership with leading multi-academy trust Star Academies. These colleges represent an entirely new relationship between the state and independent sectors and the Eton Star Partnership is already making an impact in the communities in which these colleges will be established.

Eton Fundamentals

Eton Fundamentals encompasses Eton’s extensive academic and co-curricular programmes as well as boarding and the Tony Little Centre for Innovation and Research in Learning (CIRL). Your support strengthens the College’s commitment to excellence in its academic enterprise ensuring that boys benefit from the best Masters, innovations in pedagogy, and opportunities to explore knowledge in rich and immersive ways. It also allows Eton to provide a wealth of co-curricular opportunities from the

extensive societies programme, to debating competitions, sports and athletics, arts and performance, and community service, to name a few, providing a breadth of activities that inspires every boy to discover his unique passions.

Capital Projects

Eton has an extensive collection of over 400 buildings from every century since the 1400s across its 1,000-acre site. The costs associated with keeping this historic estate up to modern standards are considerable and your support helps make it possible. In addition to helping fund minor and major renovations to existing buildings, your support also contributes to the development of iconic new facilities such as Athens; Eton’s sports and aquatic centre.

Historic Collections

The Eton College Collections include a range of objects dating from the prehistoric to the present day, many of which are unique. Your support helps Eton to conserve these remarkable holdings, to share them with the world, and to bring learning to life. The Collections also play a key role in the Eton Connect local partnerships work.

Greatest Need

Your support for Eton’s Greatest Need, also known as unrestricted giving, allows Eton to continue its pursuit of excellence by providing annual, flexible funding for core programmes that support boys and Eton’s academic enterprise. No matter the size or frequency of your support it is essential. The collective impact of annual and regular unrestricted gifts allows Eton to provide an unparalleled educational experience and to seize unexpected opportunities that fall outside the scope of the annual budget.

REPORT

Your generous support

During the 2022/23 financial year (1 September 2022–31 August 2023) cash donations to Eton totalled £14,241,156 (including gift aid). The amount of donations by designation (area of support) and the donor participation by percent of the donations received are presented below.

DONATIONS BY DESIGNATION IN 2022/23

ETON STAR SCHOOLS PROGRAMME £2,874,688

GREATEST NEED £623,408

CAPITAL PROJECTS £259,750

ETON FUNDAMENTALS

£538,912

HISTORIC COLLECTIONS

DONOR

PARTICIPATION IN % 2022/23

The Endowment

The endowment is fundamental to the long-term future of the School, providing funds for Eton’s substantial and growing Bursary Programme and increased capital expenditure on both existing and new buildings infrastructure.

The Endowment Committee oversees the management of the endowment in line with strategic and tactical guidelines which are reviewed regularly by the Committee and its advisers, Partners Capital. The Endowment Property Committee is an offshoot of the Investment Committee and oversees the College’s investments in property only. It is advised by Clearbell Capital. The value of the endowment was £553 million at the end of August 2023 and comprised £433 million in financial assets and £120 million in directly held property. This is an increase of £278 million over the past decade, which is inclusive of the proceeds of recent debt issuances, underlying portfolio performance, outflows to fund Eton’s spending, but also very generous donations from the Eton College community.

ENDOWMENT

HISTORICAL YEAR END VALUES

FINANCIAL ASSETS

PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

DRAWDOWN

16 | ETON ONWARDS

LEGACIES Henry VI Society | 17 ETON ONWARDS

Leaving a gift to Eton in your will is a thoughtful and easy way to recognise the role Eton played in your life or the life of a family member and support future generations of Etonians.

We are very grateful to the 367 members of the Henry VI Society who have made a provision for Eton in their will. The Henry VI Society holds special events at Eton throughout the year which enable friends and family of the group to stay in touch with each other and the College.

Members of the Henry VI Society decide to leave legacies for a multitude of reasons. This year, one of the Henry VI Committee members has graciously permitted us to share his story with you.

Colin's Story

I worked for many years at a global investment bank. Away from the day-to-day business activities, I involved myself with several philanthropic-related endeavours. One was an annual programme to provide academic scholarships to half a dozen underprivileged children to attend a top university of their choosing. At my final ‘recruiting’ event before I retired I addressed a room of 100 or so candidates and mentioned that I had attended what I believed to be the best school in the world and that I had a closer affinity with each of them than they might think. Whilst clearly not underprivileged or disadvantaged, I had received a full bursary to attend Eton. My father had gone bankrupt during my second year and one of my godfathers, who had and was putting his sons through Eton at the time, paid for my education.

At the time, I didn’t know all the facts surrounding my father’s circumstances but over the years my appreciation for how my godfather, and a very small group of others, contributed made me recognise the value of the education I received from Eton. In many ways, it informed how my

career was to unfold. I didn’t go to university but started my working life in the mail room in the basement of a bank right behind the Bank of England. I knew nothing about banking and had no relevant qualifications yet part of what I had learned at Eton was the value of networking and how to use that to my advantage. I was fluent in sports, so the concepts of leadership and teamwork were not alien to me. Through those attributes, I developed my skill base and relationships across all areas of the bank throughout my career.

My father was also a huge influence in my life and he too benefited from an Eton education. The recent School strategy document re-enforces Eton as a charity for the furtherance of education, and highlights amongst other things that Eton celebrates kindness, loyalty, gratitude, integrity and determination. My father was the embodiment of those character traits and I have often wondered from whence they came as I’d like to think he passed all of them on to me in some measure; now I think I know.

Through his counsel and the pastoral care I received at Eton, I have a huge amount for which to be grateful. Hence, the concepts of paying it forward and giving back have formed an important part of my life. Philanthropy comes in various shapes and sizes; succinctly put, I think it is a combination of time, treasury and talent. Leaving a legacy to Eton is one way in which I can give others the chance to benefit from the same opportunities that have been afforded me over my lifetime. The relationships and friendships developed whilst at Eton are immeasurable.

I was given a chance, similar to those young candidates I mentioned earlier. Every year Eton gives chances to scores of young people to avail themselves of what the School has to offer, be it through bursaries, partnerships or online programmes. Those young people will in turn be grateful and will no doubt want others to replicate their success. Helping to support them through a legacy enables Eton to be a charity that has the potential to keep on giving.

Colin Hely-Hutchinson (RHH 77)

Leaving

a legacy to Eton is one way in which I can give others the chance to benefit from the same opportunities that have been afforded me over my lifetime.

18 | ETON ONWARDS

RECOGNISING YOUR SUPPORT

We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Old Etonians, current and former parents, grandparents, and friends all over the world. Your support has a long-lasting effect on our ability to provide an outstanding experience for our pupils and maintain the high level of teaching that drives the success of Eton.

Your support, whether it be through bursaries, teaching, co-curricular activities or the physical environment, has a significant impact on the ability of our pupils to engage, explore their talents and reach their full potential. Thank you.

Below are listed some of the many ways of recognising and celebrating your support for Eton.

New Foundation Fellows

Donors who have cumulatively donated £1,000,000 or more will be invited by the Provost to become an honorary New Foundation Fellow.

New Foundation Fellows receive recognition in Eton’s Fixtures , Eton Onwards , have their name engraved on the Novi Fundatores Wall in the King of Siam’s Garden and have their name read aloud in College Chapel during the annual Founder’s Day service. They also receive personal invitations to special events and invitations to Board of Benefactors and 1440 Society events.

Novi Fundatores

Having evolved over the years, donors who now cumulatively donate £250,000 or more are recognised as Novi Fundatores. Novi Fundatores have their name carved on the Novi Fundatores Wall in the King of Siam’s Garden, recognition in Eton Onwards , personal invitations to special events, regular communication regarding their area of support and invitations to Board of Benefactors and 1440 Society events.

Board of Benefactors

Donors who have made a single gift or cumulative gifts of £25,000 or more, or pledge a regular gift of £5,000 for five years, are recognised in Eton Onwards and receive a personal invitation to an annual special recognition event and invitations to 1440 Society events.

1440 SOCIETY (regular or annual gifts)

Donors who contribute regularly or annually provide the consistent and cumulative support that Eton needs to thrive. Membership in this special community begins with a donor’s first gift and continues with ongoing support each academic year.

Benefactor

Donors who have donated £5,000 or more in a year are recognised as a Benefactor. Benefactors receive recognition in Eton Onwards , an invitation to the 1440 Society Reception and regular communications from Eton.

As noted under Board of Benefactors, donors who pledge a regular gift of £5,000 or more in a year with a commitment equal to £25,000 or more will receive Board of Benefactors recognition.

Patron

Donors who have donated between £100 and £4,999 in a year are recognised as a Patron. Patrons receive recognition in Eton Onwards , an invitation to the 1440 Society Reception and regular communications from Eton.

Member

Donors who have donated up to £99 in a year are recognised as a Member in Eton Onwards and will receive regular communications from Eton.

The Henry VI Society

Recognises individuals who sustain the School well beyond their lifetime by making a bequest provision in their will for the benefit of Eton College and informing the College of their intention.

Henry VI Society members receive invitations to the annual Christmas Carol Concert and Reception, the biennial lecture and the biennial lunch.

The names of bequests received in the year are read aloud by the Provost in College Chapel during the Threepenny Day service. Upon realisation of a bequest of £250,000 or more, the donor’s name will be engraved on the Novi Fundatores Wall in the King of Siam’s Garden and they are recognised in Eton Onwards

20 | ETON ONWARDS

THE PRESIDENT OF THE ETON SOCIETY

I am very honoured and grateful to be given this opportunity to thank you for all you have done and continue to do to make Eton the truly extraordinary place that it is. At the heart of the Eton experience are unrivalled opportunities, not only opportunities that one can take for oneself, but more importantly opportunities to contribute towards the common good.

In so doing, a rather unique spirit of collaborative independence is fostered amongst the boys, and it is this intrinsic motivation that allows students to reach the levels of excellence that they so routinely do.

However, while one cannot deny the extraordinary opportunities and ubiquitous excellence that abounds, I would nonetheless argue that the true value of the Eton experience lies perhaps not in these twin pillars but rather in the foundation of brotherhood that supports and encourages us in all we do.

The unique Eton house experience is the primary locus for this brotherhood; living in tight-knit communities gives all a particular sense of identity, while also serving as a sanctuary where boys can first express themselves and learn how best to interact with each other. I hasten to add however that once this identity and security is established on “home turf”, the fraternal bond soon extends to all corners of the College!

Perhaps this is no truer than in Eton’s approach to diversity and the innate manner in which boys absorb and represent the values therein. It is precisely because Eton is so unique and yet also centred in a tradition that is for all and embraces all, that the College is so inclusive in its inspiration. Time and time again, each boy gets to look at those around them and before them, and think, well if they can, why can’t I?

Most commonly what they see is a gentle man, for the true essence of an Etonian is to be just that. No example better epitomises this than my father’s recollection of the afternoon of my mother’s funeral when 30 of my closest Etonian friends played touch rugby on the beach with my younger brother and little sister just moments after the service.

On behalf of all of those gentlemen and the wider Eton community that fostered them, may I thank you for all you have done to support this phenomenal place.

Freddie Bracken-Smith (RDO-C, HJRM 24)

WAYS TO GIVE |

Every gift makes a difference

Your generosity makes all the difference in the lives of our pupils. Eton strives to provide intellectually independent, creative and curious pupils with the best education possible. Together with the help of parents, Old Etonians and friends, we can create exceptional opportunities and experiences that will last a lifetime. Thank you for your support.

Regular gifts: Donors who make regular gifts are vital to Eton’s philanthropy, providing the College with sustained funding throughout the year and allowing us to respond quickly to new funding opportunities. Many of our donors feel it is easier to set up a regular gift as this way they are able to give proportionately more than they might with a single donation by spreading the donation across the year. Gifts can be made on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis and can be set up at www.etoncollege.com/support-us/ ways-to-give.

Single gifts: Single gifts can be made by direct debit at www.etoncollege.com/support-us/ways-to-give or scan the QR code at the bottom of the page.

To make a bank transfer, please contact the Development Office at development@etoncollege.org.uk for bank details.

Gifts of shares and securities: Share giving is the most generous tax relief available to donors, combining relief on income and capital gains tax. In the UK, share gifts qualify for tax relief equal to the market value of the shares on the day the gift is made, including associated costs such as broker fees. The tax relief can be claimed for the year in which the gift is made. Please contact the Development Office at development@etoncollege.org.uk for more information.

Overseas giving: Eton welcomes donors from all over the world. For our supporters living in America, there is the American Friends of Eton College (AFEC) to facilitate your donation. AFEC has been determined by the United States Internal Revenue Service to be a tax-exempt public charity with 501(c)(3) status. For donors in other regions, we have the ability to accept international bank transfers. Please refer to our overseas giving section on our website or contact the Development Office at development@ etoncollege.org.uk.

Matching gifts: Your employer may operate a scheme whereby it will match gifts you make to charities. You can usually find out about these schemes from your organisation’s Human Resources department.

Legacy giving: Pledging a legacy gift to Eton is an easy and tax-efficient way to play an important role in Eton’s future success. We would be pleased to send you our legacy brochure or discuss your legacy plans with you. Please contact the Development Office at legacy@etoncollege. org.uk or at the address on the back of this publication for more information or scan the adjacent QR code.

Donors who make regular gifts are vital to Eton’s philanthropy, providing the College with sustained funding throughout the year and allowing us to respond quickly to new funding opportunities.