Heathfield School Bursary Policy
Authority and Circulation
This policy has been authorised by the Heathfield Educational Trust ("the School"). Its status is advisory only. It is addressed to parents of pupils and of prospective pupils and to all members of the teaching and administration staff. This policy contains an overview of the revised Bursary Scheme in operation at the School. The policy, together with all ancillary documentation including a financial means questionnaire, is made available to all parents and prospective parents on request.
Heathfield is an active member of the local community and the aims of this policy are to widen pupil access to the School and ensure that a Heathfield education is provided to children from a broad spectrum of society and to continue the School's tradition of providing public benefit.
Introduction
Heathfield School is a registered charity that is committed to providing public benefit. As such the School welcomes the Charity Commission’s proposals to widen access to the independent sector with a new Means-Tested Bursary Scheme. The School has a long history of providing discretionary financial assistance to pupils and their families. While the costs of running the School require that those who can pay full fees must do so, every year the School foregoes fees through bursaries.
The School's Bursary Scheme includes both Admissions Bursaries for the parents of new pupils and Emergency Bursaries for parents whose financial position worsens unexpectedly once their child is already at the School. The Scheme is designed to assist parents or prospective parents on low incomes who for financial reasons might otherwise be unable to send or continue to send their child to the School.
Bursaries are entirely means tested and are awarded on an annual basis to parents who are financially eligible and who meet the application requirements. Due to the limited financial resources of the School applications may not be successful. All bursary applications are treated in the strictest confidence. Pupils will not be made aware that they benefit from a bursary unless informed by their parents.
Publicity
We view a socially diverse pupil population as a key component of a full and balanced education. The availability of bursaries at the School is advertised in the local press, on the School website and in the School Prospectus literature.
Eligibility and Procedure
All parents and prospective parents of pupils at the School are eligible to apply for a bursary, and should contact the School’s Financial Secretary in the first instance for more information. All enquiries will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
All applicants for an Admission Bursary or an Emergency Bursary are required to complete a means questionnaire. The questionnaire is designed to provide a full picture of the income, assets, outgoings and liabilities of applicants so that the Headmaster can determine those to whom an offer of a bursary would be most beneficial. Please note that families who may be classified as 'low income' but have substantial assets may be ineligible to receive a bursary.
In order to have their application for a bursary considered, parent/guardians must complete the questionnaire and provide the School with any supplemental information that is requested. It is critical that parent/guardians answer all of the questions carefully and in full. All bursaries are subject to an annual means-test review. Nevertheless, should any of the information disclosed in response to the questionnaire become inaccurate at a later date, the School must be informed without delay. For example, should the financial position of parent/guardians with a pupil already at the School worsen unexpectedly, they should contact the Headmaster as soon as possible so that a way forward can be agreed. Failure to divulge requested information or a change in circumstances to the School could lead to a bursary being withdrawn or withheld.
The Bursaries
The deadline for Admission Bursary applications is the end of the Spring term in the year prior to entry.
Procedure for new applicants to the School
If, as a result of a prospective parent/guardians visit, the parent/guardian expresses a firm interest in a prospective pupil entering the School, they will be invited to bring him/her in for a ‘Taster Day’. The purpose of the day is to allow the prospective pupil an opportunity to spend a day with the year group he/she may join. They will be expected to sit some standardised tests on the day in order to determine whether he/she could cope with the level of work expected. The offer of a place is partly based on the results of these tests, but other factors such as behaviour, potential and strengths in areas such as music, sport, art and drama will be taken into consideration. The results will be used, in conjunction with the same information obtained for pupils already in the school, for monitoring purposes should the application be successful.
Admission Bursary applications are considered by a Bursaries Committee. Applicants will be informed of the date of the meeting when their application is acknowledged. The Headmaster will write within fourteen days of the meeting to notify applicants of whether they have been successful. Successful applicants will be sent a letter of offer specifying the conditions of award and requiring them to complete and sign an acceptance form.
Procedure for Existing pupils
Applications for Emergency Bursaries may be made at any time during the year and will be considered by the Headmaster as soon as possible after he has been notified by parent/guardians of a change in their financial position. Financial help may be offered generally in the form of a short term award designed to allow the child to remain a pupil at the School until a ‘natural break’ point in his/her education is reached. Each bursary offer will reflect the particular circumstances of the recipient and be expressed as a % remission of tuition fees. All such bursaries remain subject throughout that period to the conditions of award provided with the letter of offer.
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