The Anniversary Fund
Life-changing Bursaries
Let's transform the lives of deserving and talented young people held back by circumstances.
Let's inspire our fee-paying pupils and give them an experience of the competition they can expect to face beyond school.
Let's keep the School true to its community roots.
Anniversary Fund – our plan
Finding candidates for our Anniversary Fund
We plan to find candidates for our Anniversary Fund by developing partnerships with other schools and organisations.
We have already created a partnership with Denbigh High, an 11 – 16 school based in Luton. Ambitious and able pupils at Denbigh are encouraged to put themselves forward for Berkhamsted bursaries.
We also plan to develop a depth of connection where bursary pupils will return to their former schools to inspire younger pupils to apply.
We encourage every bursary pupil to stay close to their former school, as we believe the opportunities and self-belief that flow from bursaries can positively impact whole communities.
Selection
We are keen to find bursary pupils who will not only gain great personal benefit from a Berkhamsted education, but will also contribute fully to school life. We look for latent potential.
To assess their engagement, motivation and ability to hold their own we interview each candidate and give them the opportunity to participate in group discussion with Berkhamsted pupils.
Candidates also sit an entrance test, for which no preparation is necessary.
To verify prospective bursary students’ financial needs we carry out rigorous means-testing and also conduct home visits, which we believe are very important from a pastoral care perspective.
Pastoral Care
We aim to instill every Berkhamsted student with a strong sense of discipline and accountability. Our pupils develop by taking responsibility for their mistakes as and when they make them, rather than adopting a culture of blaming others.
We create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, encouraging our students to take responsibility for their self-discipline, adhering to our school rules and Code of Conduct.
Our Bursary Pupil Mentor works alongside our Heads of House, focusing on helping bursary pupils adjust to and enjoy life at Berkhamsted. They also ensure that bursary pupils and their families are supported through school events.
All our pupils will go out into a meritocratic world: our responsibility is to prepare them for the energy and competition they will face in their lives beyond school.
I welcome the idea of learning alongside pupils who are really, really motivated. It's going to be inspiring.
- A bursary student
I have a bright future thanks to Berkhamsted. I am forever grateful.
- Rui Ariyapala, 2010
The opportunities presented to us by Berkhamsted have been truly thrilling, and have opened many doors for Zakaria
- Mother of Zakaria, a bursary student
Our targets...
60 bursary places in total
40 funded through philantropy
20 funded by the School
The total amount we need to raise is £25m between now and 2041
Endowment Fund Target £25million
We have raised just under £1 million – almost the sum required for 2 endowed bursaries
..we must go beyond what our accounts will allow, and this will mean calling on the generosity of the Berkhamsted community of parents, Old Berkhamstedians and friends.
- Richard Backhouse, Principal