An Evolved Approach to Bursaries and Scholarships

Truro School is always looking to provide an ever more empowering education for pupils. Over the last two years, as part of our wider Strategic Planning, this has included the introduction of our Sixth Form Diploma, Learning Scores, a new reward and behaviour policy, and more besides.

We have also evolved our approach to Bursaries and Scholarships. For pupils already in the School, there hasn’t really been a change – current Scholarships and Bursaries remain in place and will not be changed now or in the future outside of the terms that were originally agreed.

What is different is how we will approach new awards. We are creating more opportunity and flexibility for pupils, and widening access to our School.

Bursaries and Scholarships are different. A Bursary is a means-tested financial support for those who otherwise could not afford to send their children to the School. Bursaries are not awarded on the basis of grades or co-curricular talent but based on assessed financial need. They are a way of widening access to a Truro School education. Our School should be diverse and reflect the wider community of which we are part. We are gradually increasing the number of bursaries including several each year of 75-100% of fees. This is possible because of the generosity of many, especially the Truro School Foundation, a charity set up for this purpose. Currently, over 70 pupils in the Senior School benefit from a means-tested bursary.

If you would like to know more about how to apply for a Bursary, information is on our website at Bursaries at Truro School | Independent School, Cornwall, UK.

If you would like to know more about the work of the Foundation, you can find it at The Truro School Foundation | Independent School, Cornwall, UK.

Scholarships are different. They are awarded based on academic or co-curricular talent, ability or commitment. Historically, the school has awarded the status of being a Scholar to the pupil, and fee remission to their parents. Going forwards, with the exception of the Scholarships awarded to our incredible Choristers, our Sixth Form Diploma Scholars, and in partnership with Fencing England, we will no longer offer fee remission with Scholarships.

Why not? Firstly, we can re-allocate the budget that has previously gone to fee remission into enrichment opportunities for the Scholars themselves in School, and to our Bursary programme. We want children to be the direct beneficiaries of their talents. Secondly, it allows us to award more Scholarships in future. More children deserve this accolade than we have been able to give fee remission to in the past. Under the new approach, we can give more children what they deserve. Thirdly, to recognize and support the fact that children’s talents and interests evolve over time. No longer will a pupil awarded a scholarship for music, sport, art, or drama aged 11 be tied permanently to that area of school life even if it ceases to be a talent or interest by the age of 15, just to merit ongoing fee remission. Instead, we can support pupils of all ages moving in and out of Scholarship status based on their current talents and interests, providing better-targeted access to relevant and School funded enrichment. There is of course no barrier to the family of a Scholar applying also for a Bursary too, if that is needed.

To support this evolution, we have given new Enrichment and Scholarship Co-ordinator (ESCO) responsibilities to Mrs Coleridge (for 1st to 5th Years) and Ms Selvey (until Mrs Collinge returns from maternity leave) for Sixth Form. For further details about our approach to scholarships, please read more here: Scholarships and Bursaries at Truro School | Independent School, Cornwall, UK

I am excited about an evolution in our School culture that is not typical in many independent schools, but is in tune with our values because it puts children and their opportunities at the front and centre of our planning and resourcing.

Mr Andy Johnson
Head