The school launches an ambitious fundraising campaign to give children from poorer backgrounds the chance to attend, writes MONICA SLOAN

Anyone who has seen St Edward's School's impressive grounds in Oxford might be surprised by its claim in a recent fundraising brochure that "St Edward's is not a wealthy school".

But according to warden Andrew Trotman, who has launched an ambitious fundraising campaign to give children from poorer backgrounds the chance to attend the school, its endowment fund is modest.

The school is aiming to raise £5m for three projects a bursary scheme, a new performing arts centre and "inspirational" science facilities.

Widening access to the school's resources is at the heart of each project.

The £3.8m arts centre, due to open this autumn, will provide a venue for community events.

Plans to transform ageing science laboratories open up the opportunity for partnerships with the community and local businesses.

The means-tested bursaries will be aimed at talented children whose parents cannot afford the school fees.

The school's endowment fund is only able to support two pupils a year. If it meets its target of £1.2m, it will be able to support considerably more pupils.

"The school's wealthy in the sense that it manages a big budget but we're not sitting on a huge cash fund endowment," Mr Trotman explained.

"We are trying to work very much with our alumni and parents to build up our endowment fund. There's demand for scholarship places and it's not being met at the moment. That's why we are doing this.

"We want to establish proper support for pupils who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to study in the environment.

"It's very much a shift into new territory for us. We are advertising the fact that these bursaries are on offer and we encourage parents to apply on behalf of their children.

"It's not restricted to any particular discipline. It could be someone with a talent for sport, music, dance, leadership potential or academic ability."

So how can talented youngsters prove they deserve a place at St Edward's?

"We put them through a series of entrance tests and assessments," Mr Trotman said.

"If their skills are in a particular area, whether it's arts, music, sport, dance, leadership potential, then we give them a chance to shine."

But it is not just the pupil who benefits from the bursary place.

According to Mr Trotman, widening access will add value to the student community and enhance its ethos as an inclusive school.

"The school gets the benefit from children who bring something special with them," he said.

"One of the things we are looking for particularly from the children is the spark and vitality that will be added to those around them.

"We describe ourselves as a warm, happy, inclusive school and we help children to be creative, liberal and open. Our breadth of opportunity is very important to us."

The school's development office has already raised £3m towards its £5m target.

To raise the rest, it has set up a covenant so that people can make regular donations over several years. Major donors can fund bursaries in their name.

"Part of the campaign is to enhance the culture of giving," Mr Trotman said. "Rather than a one-off appeal, we are trying to make people think about long-term giving."

The school promoted the same message by becoming the first in the UK to set up a Microfinance Trust Bank in Ghana through Oxford-based charity Opportunity International.

Now the school is turning its fundraising efforts closer to home.

Mr Trotman added: "We've set ourselves a target and we want to reach it."