Public Benefit

Wakefield Grammar School Foundation is a charitable company whose primary objective is to provide an education to children aged between 3 and 18 years at three schools in Wakefield.

The schools aim for excellence in academic achievement in addition to allowing the children to develop in an exciting and stimulating environment. It is the view of the Governors that children from all backgrounds should have the opportunity to attend and benefit from the Foundation’s schools. When reviewing our strategic plan for the coming years, the Governors have considered the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

The Foundation provides financial assistance to many pupils. Financial assistance is given in the form of bursaries, short term awards to relieve hardship, and support for uniforms and travel. The Foundation also has a number of modest scholarships which are used to acknowledge pupils’ academic or sporting excellence or provide financial assistance to certain qualifying pupils.

Bursaries are typically provided to pupils who meet the schools’ academic entrance criteria as a reduction in school fees of between 25% to 75% or 100%, which is effectively a free place. The majority of the bursarial support available is in the two Senior Schools. The level of bursary that may be offered to a pupil is dependent on the financial circumstances of the child’s parents or legal guardians. There are agreed cut off levels at which bursarial support may be offered.

The Foundation effectively assesses after tax household income which will include a notional income based on assets, investments and equity in property and/or a business where applicable. An allowance is also given for any other children in full time education. As at September 2024, bursaries were available where household income was below £65,000. Information on how to apply for bursaries is provided in the schools’ prospectuses, in leaflets at the Foundation Open Morning in October and on this website.

Wakefield Girls’ High School and Queen Elizabeth Grammar School provide a standard number of bursaries each year in Year 7. This award is then carried forward through a student’s time at the school until he or she leaves. It should also be noted that the recipients of the free places also receive financial assistance with the cost of uniform, travel and school trips.

At Sixth Form level, additional bursaries up to 75% for 2 years may be awarded to students requiring financial assistance who are joining from a school outside the Foundation.

It is the view of Governors that the best use of the bursary funds available is to provide greater financial support in senior section of each school when the pupils undertake examination courses. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to offer bursaries in the Junior sections of the school.