Free places announced at Exeter School's Speech Day
Exeter School welcomed former pupil and BBC sports commentator and broadcaster Sara Orchard to Speech Day on 22 September where she entertained all present with tales of her 13 years working on the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, the Rugby World Cup and Wimbledon.
A highlight of the evening was the announcement by the Chairman of Governors Mr Andrew King about the creation of free places for children from the local community.
Mr King announced to parents, pupils and staff that Exeter School had received sufficient donations and legacies from former pupils, in addition to ongoing grants from a local charity, to set up eight bursaries for disadvantaged bright children from Exeter.
The School intends to establish, from next September, eight new free places in the Senior School and Sixth Form.
Three of these will be offered at 11+ and will be called Foundation Bursaries, funded from alumni legacies and gifts. Three full bursaries in the Sixth Form will also be offered, funded from the St John's Hospital Educational Foundation grant.
Two further free places, to be called 'The George Williams Bursaries', to study the Sciences in the Sixth Form, have also been made possible by a generous bequest and continuing donations from the estate of a prominent deceased Old Exonian.
"The generosity of our alumni and others with connections to the School is central to our being able to provide the large amount of support we can give to bright children from families in modest circumstances: families who would otherwise be unable to take advantage of our splendid facilities and the first-class education for which Exeter School is renowned," said Mr King.
Exeter School has always provided a significant number of means-tested bursaries at the School for those in need of support, and these will continue to be provided and at the same level as before.
Mr King added: "I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and that of my fellow Governors to these benefactors, many of whom wish to remain anonymous, but without whose support we could not provide the widest possible access to children of all backgrounds, which is the hallmark of our School.
"In announcing these new free places, the Governors intend this to be the next step in a redoubled effort to enable access to more children from our local community. The financial support of former pupils and families who are in a position to give is essential to the success of this initiative."
During the ceremony, Headmaster Mr Bob Griffin gave a summary of the year's achievements, praising senior pupils and their teachers upon the excellent public examination outcomes of Summer 2016. Headmistress Mrs Sue Marks reported on her first year in the Junior School which has enjoyed success in the arena of art, music, drama and sport.
Former pupil Sara Orchard spent the day at her old school where she spent time with Junior and Senior School pupils chatting and answering questions about her life as a sports presenter both home and abroad. Sara was joined at Speech Day by her grandfather, Tony Orchard, who left Exeter School in 1940.
Further information about the new as well as our existing bursaries can be found on the school website: http://www.exeterschool.org.uk/admissions/scholarships-and-awards
