The Trinity School Bursary Fund

The Trinity School Bursary Fund Schools need to be filled with children from the communities they serve: Trinity School’s Bursary Fund enables academically gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Croydon and its surrounds to benefit from an outstanding education, gain entry to the world’s best universities and go on to make their mark in the world.

The Situation where are we now?

While the academic performance of primary school children (KS2) in Croydon is broadly comparable to similar London boroughs, performance at GCSE (KS4) is below the London average and declining steadily. At A level (KS5) only 13.1% of Croydon children achieve the AAB grades necessary for entry into Russell Group universities. This is 40% below the UK average1.

A LEVEL RESULTS

-40%

Children of above average ability are failing to thrive at their secondary schools. Attainment figures for children living in the North and South East of the borough where low income families predominate are

CROYDON A LEVEL RESULTS COMPARED TO NATIONAL AVERAGE

correspondingly lower still. An enormous amount of talent and potential is being wasted and social mobility stymied.

.

13 1 ONLY

%

OF CROYDON CHILDREN ACHIEVE A LEVEL RESULTS TO REACH TOP UNIVERSITIES

1

Croydon Observatory Borough Profile 2018, February 2018, Croydon Council

£ %

OF CROYDON CHILDREN IN LOW INCOME HOMES (50% IN NEW ADDINGTON)

1 IN 9 CHILDREN FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES GET TOP JOBS

UK Government research shows that only 1 in 9 children from low income backgrounds eventually get into top jobs2. The inability of gifted children from low income backgrounds to access the educational support and training necessary to achieve entry to high-quality Russell Group universities and thence progress to the professions is a key factor in the stalling of social mobility3.

9

%

TRINITY BURSARY STUDENTS ACHIEVE RUSSELL GROUP ENTRY

2

‘Opening Doors, Breaking Barriers: A Strategy for Social Mobility’, April 2011, HM Government

3

‘LEADING PEOPLE 2016 The educational backgrounds of the UK professional elite’, February 2016, The Sutton Trust

Trinity’s bursary programme works: 90% of Trinity students achieve the grades to go on to study at Russell Group universities and the academic outcomes for our bursary students are exactly in line with the achievements of our students from more privileged backgrounds.

A substantial bursary programme provides a much-needed channel for social mobility among low income families in Croydon and ensures that the school remains a diverse, inclusive community which represents and reflects the make-up of Croydon beyond the school gates. Currently, around 200 students (approximately 20% of the school roll) receive means-tested bursaries funded via the Whitgift Foundation and the Trinity Bursary Fund.

Trinity School a commitment to open access Trinity School (part of The Whitgift Foundation) has served its local community in Croydon since 1858, offering the very best secondary school education to boys and, since 2011, girls in the school’s sixth form. Historically, more than half of our students received financial support through local and central government schemes designed to support those whose families could not afford school fees. Many of these families paid no fees whatsoever.

However, we do not have sufficient bursary funds available to offer fee assistance to all the children from low income backgrounds who reach the required standard in our entrance tests. The financial support of the Whitgift Foundation will allow us to maintain the status quo, but no more. Only with additional support from within the school community and beyond will we be in a position to broaden our programme to reach more children whose lives would be transformed by a Trinity education.

20%

TRINITY STUDENTS RECEIVE BURSARIES “I’m delighted that Trinity’s intake remains as diverse and inclusive as the Croydon community outside the school gates.

Every child deserves the experience that Trinity gave me”.

Paul Cleal [OT 1984] Former Partner, PWC & ex-Social Mobility & Child Poverty Commissioner

67 STUDENTS RECEIVING BURSARIES

>60% OF FEES

MI L

LIO

N

ÂŁ1.7

This is of particular note in a town such as Croydon where today 23.2% of children still live in families affected by income deprivation4.

Trinity School became a diverse community of students taken from every background whose shared purpose was the pursuit of academic excellence. In 1997 all government-backed fee assistance for independent schools was withdrawn and the burden of ensuring that Trinity could remain accessible to all was taken up by its parent charity. Each year Trinity receives in the order of ÂŁ1.7 million from the Whitgift Foundation

BURSARY SUPPORT CURRENTLY PROVIDED

to support means-tested bursaries at the school.

4

Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI), 2015

Trinity runs an outstanding community engagement programme, with staff members leading extensive academic and sporting programmes for local children at local primary schools and at Trinity itself. Two years ago we formed a close partnership with The Rowdown Foundation5 which specializes in recruiting gifted children attending primary schools in the New Addington area at risk of not fulfilling their academic potential upon secondary transfer. Through this partnership Trinity provides extra support and tuition to bring children up to the academic levels needed to enter local selective schools. The families of boys who are successful in the Trinity entrance tests are then supported via our bursary programme.

5

www.rowdownfoundation.org.uk

The Solution The Trinity Bursary Fund was established in 2015 and, to date, has raised gifts and pledges of approximately £350,000. During the course of the next three years we wish to cement a culture of giving to the Bursary Fund which becomes central to our identity as a school community. We will seek support from our former students, parents, local supporters and charitable funds to broaden our outreach to the Rowdown Foundation and similar programmes operating in social mobility cold spots and increase the number and value of the bursaries we can offer to local children.

A GOOD UNIVERSITY DEGREE IS KEY TO JOBS

In three years’ time, with your help, we will: SOCIAL MOBILITY PROMOTED VIA PARTNERSHIP WITH ROWDOWN FOUNDATION

• Increase the number of bursaries we can offer by the equivalent of a further 20 full or 40 half fee places • Raise an income stream of £350,000 per annum for the Trinity Bursary Fund •R eplicate the success of the Rowdown Foundation partnership with other primary schools in low income areas elsewhere in the borough and award our first bursaries to students from these communities.

Many generations of students at Trinity received an outstanding secondary education at little or no cost to their families. We anticipate that many of these alumni and their parents will feel moved to ensure that future generations of students can be given the same opportunities. Bursaries to Trinity are not a panacea for the difficulties of an overstretched local education system, but they will ensure that life-changing opportunities remain available to gifted children from disadvantaged backgrounds –

AD

£3 D I T 50 I O N ,00 A L 0

something that is fundamental to Trinity School’s DNA.

OUTREACH

TO PUPILS FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES INCREASED

ADDED TO ANNUAL BURSARY INCOME

FUNDING FOR UP TO

40 SIGNIFICANT BURSARIES

“Education should be needs-blind, where tuition is available on the basis of ability and potential, not the capacity to pay. That is why I am proud to give both my money and time in support of the Trinity Bursary Fund”.

Dr Barry MacEvoy [OT 1990] Particle Physicist, CERN

Trinity Bursary Fund Team Fundraising for the Trinity Bursary Fund is coordinated by the Development & Alumni Department. The team is led by David Young, Director of Development, who reports to Alasdair Kennedy, Trinity’s Headmaster.

David and Alasdair have appointed a Development Board which comprises members of the Trinity School community including former students, parents of current and former students, representatives of the alumni body and members of the school governing body. The Development Board advises the core team on strategy and new fundraising initiatives. If you are interested in joining the Development Board, please contact David.

For more information please contact: David on development@trinity.croydon.sch.uk or 020 8662 5162

Trinity School Shirley Park, Croydon, CR9 7AT Tel: 020 8656 9541

www.trinity-school.org Part of the Whitgift Foundation, Registered Charity Number 312612