Giving Circles Impact Report 2025
Welcome
Welcome to our first King Edward VI School Giving Circles Impact Report.
This is our way of keeping you up to date on the significant difference your support is making to young people from lower-income and care experienced backgrounds, opening up countless opportunities and brighter futures.
Ever since our School was founded in 1553, providing educational opportunity to young people in our city has always been core to our ethos. KES has changed much since then, but thanks to your generous support, each year several bright pupils get the chance to immerse themselves in the many academic and co-curricular opportunities available here at KES. You can learn more about their stories in this report.
I hope you enjoy reading about the positive ways your giving has made an impact this year. Thank you very much for your kind support.
Richard Wilson Director of Development
£529,000 raised for Bursaries, from 54 donors
£25,724 The average household income is
57 Bursary Award holders currently at KES for 2025 - 2026 full Bursary Award holders
90% Over of full Bursary Award holders live in Southampton postcodes (SO14 - SO19)
2
6 Bursary Award holders are in pupil leadership positions for 2025-2026 Bursary Award holders won coveted prizes for academic achievement
3 Bursary Award holders won special awards reflecting their kindness and caring attitude
1 Bursary Award holder won an academic scholarship for Sixth Form
Our 2024 Bursary Award
Graduates went on to:
Imperial College London
Mathematics
University College London
Law
University of Surrey
Civil Engineering
University of Southampton
Biomedical Sciences
Loughborough University
Business, Economics and Finance
University of Sussex
Banking and Digital Finance
University of Winchester
Health and Social Care
Since 2015...
6
Bursary Award holders have gone on to Oxbridge
Our Bursary Award Holders took part in:
Business
Choir
Cricket
Dance
Greenpower
Hockey
MedSoc
Rugby
And much more...
33 Bursary Award holders have gone on to Russell Group Universities
Meet our Bursary Award Holders
Recently we caught up with a number of former Bursary Award holders to hear about their time at KES, what they have gone on to do and the difference that your support has made. Here are two of our favourite bits of feedback:
(KES 17-24)
Amanda Studying Law LLB at University College London
It is not everyday someone like me gets opportunities.
I have seen it firsthand, how kids like me are failed by the systems around us, left and stuck, with no hopes of ‘better’.
When KES offered me a full bursary, it didn’t just change things for me, but uplifted everyone around me. The acceptance letter was addressed to me and my family but I believe that was a mistake. Each day I took my communities with me into KES.
I went camping for the first time, a taste of true independence and spending time away from my close-knit family unit. I went to France. I studied not one, but two languages. I went to my first musical, igniting my love for the theatre. KES gave me many firsts, experiences I could not have dreamed of having back in primary school. I have existed in two different worlds at once and my family and whole community are so proud.
I was a recipient of the EP Abraham Sixth Form Bursary Award at King Edward’s.
It may sound overblown but I genuinely think it changed my life.
Academically, I felt I was really stretched both by the teachers, who pushed me more and encouraged more critical thinking, and by being surrounded by more students on my wavelength.
I’m now a doctor near the end of clinical training, specialising in immunology and allergy. I also have interests in research and medical education.
(KES 06-08)
Speciality Trainee Doctor in Allergy, Clinical and Laboratory Immunology
I chose this route because I find the immune system super interesting. Also, treating people with immunosuppression and allergies is an area of rising clinical need. It’s also being completely revolutionised by the latest research in genomic analysis. Coming full circle, this links quite neatly with Sir Edward Abraham’s work, so it makes it even more satisfying to think I’m kind of giving back.
Our 2025 cohort of Bursary Award leavers are a fantastic group of young people. Here are some of their highlights from their time at KES and their message to our donor community:
The day the letter with the decision arrived, my mum, too excited to wait, opened it before I returned home from school.
She lovingly resealed the envelope to allow me to experience the joy of finding out that I’d been accepted for myself.
Greenpower Club tasked us to use our theoretical knowledge of engineering principles and apply them practically to build a working electric car. My friend and I were responsible for completing most of the electrical circuits necessary for the car to be powered correctly and we had the chance to watch the car being raced at Goodwood Race Circuit, even working on the car during pit stops. This experience really sparked my interest in engineering.
Victor
(KES 20-25)
I couldn’t possibly put into words how grateful I am to be the recipient of a KES bursary. Receiving the award motivated me, over and over again, to prove that I deserved it. I am so appreciative of how much it was able to help me and my family. Your generosity and kindness honestly couldn’t be repaid, but I will try my best to in turn help others the same way you have helped me
As I grow older, I realise more and more how much academic study can impact your future and the doors it opens.
It provides you with a pocketful of opportunities, which otherwise you would not be able to have.
I chose to study Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics for A Levels so I could later pursue the challenge of a medical degree, after a much needed gap year. I believe Medicine is the perfect road for me as I have a burning desire to help people in an honourable way. Medicine also ties in well with my way of showing my care towards others, which is to show acts of service.
Coming to KES, I saw myself become more open, extroverted, and readier to express myself. I changed from hoping I could get away with being “sick” to wanting to get to school; to see my friends, who I still am close with. We have all seen each other grow through different phases in life and we all became one big family. I thank you all for blessing me with a beautiful adventure, it has been an honour to be a KES student. You open doors of light for every single pupil. Once again, thank you.
Fienk
(KES 20-25)
Developing belonging through funding extra costs
This year, we were incredibly grateful to receive a £285,000 gift from the Frank Misselbrook Foundation. Combined with their existing support, the Foundation has formed an endowment to pay for extra costs for all future 100% Bursary Award holders. This means that from September 2025, these families will receive funding for uniforms, devices for learning, lunches, travel and school trips. Importantly, this levels the playing field and ensures that full Bursary Award holders will have access to the same opportunities as their peers, increasing their sense of belonging at the School and allowing them to make the most of every opportunity here.
Launching new science bursaries
This year we also launched our new EPA Bursary Awards, in memory of OE and noted biochemist Sir Edward Abraham. These Awards are designed to support aspiring young scientists in our city who would not otherwise have the means to attend King Edward’s. The new Bursary Awards complement our wider bursary offer, and we can’t wait to welcome the first recipient to KES this September.
Partnering with Springboard to support care-experienced young people
This year, we have begun partnering with the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation to support local young people who have been in care. Southampton has above average rates of young people who have experienced the care system, and we want to use our bursary programme to provide a safe, stable education for one young person a year. Springboard work closely with the local authority to identify deserving young people, and we can’t wait to welcome our first Springboarder this September.
Launching our Boundless Futures Giving Campaign
Looking ahead, this year we will launch our first ever fundraising campaign for bursaries: Boundless Futures. Our aim is to raise £5 million by 2030, so that 1 in 10 pupils who join by that year are funded through a bursary. Your generous support means that we are launching the campaign with over £1 million already raised, providing us with an excellent platform to attract further donations. Please look out for more updates in October and help us to spread the word about the campaign.
Our Registered Charity Number: 1088030 kes.school