School Assisted Places – A Brief Guide for Parents
The School can also make limited funds available, according to financial need, to able pupils through the Schools Assisted Places Scheme. These awards are made on academic merit in the entrance examination and will involve a meeting at School with a member of the Bursary staff. A small number of significant School Assisted Places are also available for Year 12 entry up to 50% of fees (larger bursaries may be available, dependent on exceptional performance at GCSE). These are dependent upon performance in the GCSE examinations, parental income and a meeting with a member of the Bursary staff.
Bursaries are means-tested awards given to support families whose child demonstrates academic excellence and wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford some or all of the school fees. Parents who notify us that they require financial assistance are invited to complete a bursary application form so that the Bursaries Committee can determine the level of bursary award applicable, if any. Bursaries range from 5% to 100% and are dependent on a family’s financial circumstances. We do not publish guidance on qualifying income levels as each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. To qualify for financial aid, families are expected to be doing everything they can to maximise their income before applying to the school for help.
An independent company will carry out a home visit to assist in the assessment of family circumstances. All applications are then considered by the Bursaries Committee, chaired by the Head.
Unfortunately, we still cannot fund all of the applications we receive and so our Development Team is working hard with current supporters to try to grow our bursary funds still further.
For further information, please contact our Registrar.
FAQs
Who is the scheme for?
The scheme was established to help able children whose parents cannot afford full independent school fees. Awards are normally made only to those entering Year 7 to Year 12
How much will parents be expected to contribute?
If your annual income is below a certain level, you may have to pay very little towards the fees. The principles underlying the operation of the scheme are that parental income and assets must fall within a certain range to ensure eligibility and the amount of financial assistance provided each year by the Governors will be determined by the level of the parents’ income and assets in the preceding year.
Who will meet the remaining cost of the fees?
The Governors of the Loughborough Schools Foundation have bursary and bequest funds available. These funds will provide the money necessary to maintain the scheme. Funds are limited and it is not always possible to provide assistance to all those who are eligible. The contributions made by Governors to the school fees of those pupils who hold a School Assisted Place will be reviewed annually and will always be at the discretion of the Governors.
How to apply?
To apply for assistance, we will require you to complete a ‘Confidential Statement of Financial Circumstance’ form. The deadline for submission of the form is 31 October. Parents will know by the end of January whether or not a place is being awarded and whether there is a possibility of financial support being offered; the amount of any help is subject to the outcome of a home visit and to subsequent confirmation by the Bursary Committee. It is important to note that the academic merit of pupils as well as the financial situation of the parents will be taken into account when considering the award of a School Assisted Place. With regret it is not possible to offer support to all those parents whose financial circumstances warrant it.