The Bursary Fund
The ethos of opportunity, regardless of parental income, has always been part of St Albans School's heritage. Through the government-subsidised Direct Grant and Assisted Places schemes of the last 50 years, many hundreds of pupils received the benefits and opportunities of a St Albans School education at reduced or no cost. These schemes no longer exist and the School has no significant endowments to replace them.
There have been many examples in recent years of exceptional pupils whose contribution to the life of the School has been immense, but would have been unthinkable without financial support at some level. At present, we have 50 pupils receiving some level of means-tested support through the School's own bursary fund. Over the next decade the Foundation aims to establish an enduring fund so that the School can plan on a firm basis to move towards what is known in the current jargon as ‘needs-blind' admission, so that places are offered to the most able candidates without regard to their parents' ability to pay the fees.
Donations to the Bursary Fund will form an endowment, the interest of which will fund bursaries, whilst the capital itself is protected. In this way, donations will go on giving in perpetuity; an investment now will help not just one pupil to come to the School, but many hundreds and even thousands in the years to come. As a guide, each £250,000 raised will endow a 100% bursary for one year. As most of the pupils we support receive a proportion of the full cost of fees rather than full-fee remission, in fact this will usually support more than one pupil each year.
The Governors are committed to providing St Albans School's unique opportunities to talented and deserving young people, regardless of their background.
Personal Insight: The Bursary Fund
Jonathan Croker (OA 1992-1999) benefitted from the ‘Assisted Places' Scheme
After leaving St Albans School, I read English at Cambridge, where I directed plays and became President of the Amateur Dramatic Club. When I graduated, I worked on two "Harry Potter" films, first as a runner and then as assistant to the director, Mike Newell (OA). Following this, I became a script editor, freelance at first and then in the UK Film Council Development Fund, where I assess projects for funding and give editorial support to a wide range of film-makers. I have also made two feature films myself as a writer and a director. The first, "The Best Man" was shot on a shoestring budget (with several scenes shot at The Woollam Playing Fields), and was shown at various festivals around the world. The second, "Ealing Comedy" was released in cinemas around the UK last year.
Simply put, none of this would have been possible without my time at St Albans School. My English lessons helped me make my thoughts incisive and clear. My Ancient History lessons taught me how to put my arguments across in (at times rather heated) debates. My time as Head Boy was excellent training for how to run a film set. But most importantly for me, the Drama Department was invaluable training for both the practical and creative sides of the arts. I was encouraged to write, direct, act, produce, light, design anything that I wanted to, with the understanding that however great you think you are, you also have to paint the sets and help photocopy the programmes.
Any scheme which helps others benefit from the School as much as I did can only be a good thing.
Roy Bacon (OA 1939-1946) benefitted from the ‘Direct Grant' Scheme
In September 1939 I entered St Albans School, an 11 year old boy from a working class family. A school with no girls, boys in long trousers, boys who went to the bog, not lavatories, and spend d's, not pennies. And what names they had! Totsy, Grunt, Chicken, Mouse, Bunker, Baggers, Niffy, Piggy.
I quickly began to enjoy myself: making friends many of whom I still meet regularly; coping with French and Latin; learning to play football with a funny shaped ball and realising I couldn't swim. I became more and more involved in activities outside the classroom. I enjoyed drilling, map reading, field days with the Corps, and learning how to bowl properly. In School Certificate year under the wise guidance of George Wishart, I developed a love of Chemistry. After 6th Form lessons George would usually intone "Yes well now, we'll have a short numerical". Groans all round, but working them out proved invaluable in exams. Encouraged throughout my school years, particularly by Roger Cook and Bill Harwood, I grew to love classical music. Unlike them I did not learn to play an instrument, (I can still hear Bill's thunderous Chopin Polonaise).
The Upper Sixth brought many privileges: a prefect's gown, free periods and invitations to dinner with Mr and Mrs Marsh, and to evening concerts given by distinguished musicians. I still have the Carol Service sheet for 17th December 1945 on which the Headmaster had written "See me in my study, 2 p.m. Monday - Bacon, Lesson II. Read Luke 2 vv.8 -16 - The Shepherds go unto the Manger". The prefect's gown made one feel ‘Man, proud man, dressed in a little brief authority', but not, we hoped ‘most ignorant of what he's assured'.
I look back on my School days with great pride and affection. Happy the day when my primary school Headmaster Pop Owen, who had five boys at the School, persuaded my parents to enter me for the entrance exam. I was lucky to prosper under the Direct Grant Scheme, the abolition of which by the Government was a criminal act.
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