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The post Assisted Places era has posed a series of tough
questions for the Independent Sector. Bradford Grammar School
has never awarded scholarships, concentrating solely on
means tested bursaries, and maintaining the social diversity
which is at the core of our values has been a major challenge.
Whilst securing funding for eleven year olds, which needs
to be sustainable for seven years, has drawn generous support
from HSBC and some of our alumni, it became evident that
such a long term financial undertaking was a step too far
for many in the corporate sector.
We have been particularly successful in a programme of
corporate bursaries at Sixth Form level focussing on the
possibility of developing a genuine sense of partnership.
By identifying particular subject areas which were appropriate
to our prospective sponsors and linking them to the A level
courses studied by potential bursary recipients, we have
been able to create a professional link between our pupils
and a number of companies. The financial commitment of the
company (usually £2/3,000 per student per annum) was seen
as a relatively modest investment. This ensured a profile
within the school on a corporate sponsors' bursary board
in our main entrance and also in our regular school publications.
Many of the pupils have undertaken work experience with
the sponsor organisations and a number are now being helped
through university, with the possibility of joining the
company on graduation. While such an outcome is by no means
guaranteed, it has certainly been an attractive feature
and has secured a number of "renewed bursaries".
Such partnerships require a great deal of research and
investment of time by the Head as the corporate sponsors
generally like to deal with the person at the top. The rewards,
however, are self-evident.
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