Whitgift For All Bursary Fund

Double your donation: Your gift will be match £ for £ up to the value of £42,750 thanks to our generous donors.

285 donors

Goal: 400 donors
71%

£103,548 raised

Whitgift For All – Transformational Bursaries

Merit. Potential. Opportunity.

Whitgift’s down-to-earth, inclusive feel is one of the most cherished qualities of our School. A defining strength of our community is the diversity of backgrounds our boys come from — made possible by our longstanding commitment to bursaries.

Whitgift For All exists to ensure talented boys can access a Whitgift education regardless of family income. Bursary Award Holders enrich every aspect of school life — academically, culturally, and socially — and your support helps us keep Whitgift accessible, vibrant, and future-focused.

Giving Day is our annual fundraising campaign when we ask the Whitgift community to make a gift of any size to support the Whitgift For All Bursary Fund.

Every gift, large or small, helps a deserving boy access a Whitgift education, enriches School life, and strengthens our community.

Why Your Support Matters

Our vision is simple yet profound: admission to Whitgift should be based on merit and potential, not means. Situated in South Croydon, close to areas facing educational challenges, Whitgift has a unique opportunity — and responsibility — to drive social mobility through education.

  • The annual bursary grant from the John Whitgift Foundation is generous but static. As fees respond to inflation, the same grant covers fewer places each year.
  • Today, the Foundation grant equates to 86 full fee places, and we currently support 114 bursary students across varying award levels.
  • Projections show that by 2035 the grant could cover the equivalent of 63 full fee places, declining year-on-year without additional fundraising.

In short: demand outstrips resources. There are deserving, high-performing applicants seeking bursarial support whom we cannot currently accommodate. With your help, we can change that.

Our Campaign Goals

This Giving Day our goal is to fund one additional transformational bursary for a boy applying to join us in 2027.

Longer term, by 2035 we aim to establish 20 transformational bursaries through Whitgift For All for bright local boys from low-income families.

To make this impact enduring, we aim to build a permanent endowment so bursaries can be funded in perpetuity, safeguarding access for future generations.

What Is a Bursary Award?

Bursary Awards are means-tested financial contributions towards school fees. To be considered, candidates must excel in our entrance examination and interview — only the most exceptional students are successful.

The bursary level is set through a thorough assessment of family finances, ensuring awards go to those for whom full fees would be impossible.

Importantly, our support goes beyond fees. We work to ensure recipients are fully included in school life, providing help with books, uniform, and enriching activities so every boy can thrive.

What Is Whitgift For All?

Whitgift For All is Whitgift’s dedicated charity raising funds for bursaries. While resources will always be finite, we seek to extend opportunity to those boys who will benefit most — and who will enhance the life of the School through their talents, character, and contribution.

We do not use any school fees for bursaries. We spend only what we receive from the John Whitgift Foundation and Whitgift For All.

How Your Donation Is Used

Unless otherwise specified, donations are invested in a long-term endowment fund designed to provide bursaries forever, similar in intent to the annual grant we receive from the John Whitgift Foundation.

100% of your donation goes to Whitgift For All, including eligible Gift Aid.

The Whitgift For All trustees steward the fund and allocate grants to the School in a way that ensures long-term sustainability of each bursary place.

Why We Need the Whitgift Community

Although the Whitgift Foundation has significant assets, its income is limited. Now, more than ever, we are called to uphold the legacy of John Whitgift’s philanthropy — together.

Bursaries transform lives. Their impact extends beyond individual students to families, peer groups, and our local community. A transformational bursary is more than financial aid — it’s a lifeline and a catalyst for genuine, life-changing outcomes.

Give today. Help us build more transformational bursaries and secure Whitgift’s inclusive future for generations to come.

13 minutes ago
Elizabeth Pleasance donated
28 minutes ago
Nanthini Santhiapillai donated £100.00
28 minutes ago
Joy Forzani donated
33 minutes ago
Lesley Ewels donated
38 minutes ago
An anonymous donor donated £100.00
58 minutes ago
Ali Peerbhoy donated £250.00
By supporting this, it will enable students to develop and achieve their true potential. Joy Forzani
Great to support the school and other boys through their education. Whitgift is a special place that we are proud to be part of. Helen Wada
My son has recently joined his brother at Whitgift and is thriving. We hope this will help support the amazing work the school does. And, continue to extend the reach to those who would benefit. An anonymous donor
Without this, my son won't be able to study at such a prestigious school Magda Stroe
Great initiative, important as ever to provide opportunities to those with significant potential. Johann Moon

Spread the word on social media

Join the conversation

#WhitgiftGives