in partnership with Downe House and St Mary’s Calne
The Armed Forces Fund Funding the education of sons and daughters of Forces Personnel of all ranks killed or wounded while serving their country
WHAT IS THE ARMED FORCES FUND?
INTRODUCTION ■ Radley College has a long history of helping families affected by death and injury in warfare. In 1917 The Radley College War Memorial Fund was created with donations from former pupils and their families to provide a Radley education for the sons of Old Radleians killed in The Great War. ■ Today, the Governors of Radley are keen to build on this heritage by recognising the outstanding dedication and sacrifice of our current Service men and women. As a result, the Radley Armed Forces Fund has been created within The Radley Foundation for the sole purpose of raising funds to help finance the education of sons and daughters of killed and injured Service men and women of all ranks throughout the Armed Forces. ■ The boys will be educated at Radley College, near Oxford, and the girls at either Downe House, near Newbury, or St Mary’s Calne in Wiltshire – with whom Radley has close ties. All three schools are single sex boarding schools although Downe House and St Mary’s Calne can accept day pupils.
RUPERT THORNELOE AND DOUGIE DALZELL BURSARY AWARDS ■ With the encouragement and support of the Thorneloe family and of the Welsh Guards, one of the bursaries will be named “The Rupert Thorneloe Bursary Award” to honour the memory of Lt Col Rupert Thorneloe MBE, Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, who was killed in Afghanistan in July 2009. Rupert was a former pupil at Radley. ■ Similarly, with the encouragement and support of the Dalzell family and of the Coldstream Guards, another of the bursaries will be named “The Dougie Dalzell Bursary Award” in honour of Lt Douglas Dalzell MC of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards who lost his life in February 2010 on his 27th birthday, while leading his platoon in Afghanistan. Dougie was also an Old Radleian.
■ Fundraising at the three schools began in November 2010, shortly before Remembrance Sunday, and £2.8million has been donated to date. Having now reached our first £2m, the aim is to raise £5m so that the income can be used to help fund the education of between 6 and 15 Service children at any one time (depending on the size of their means-tested awards) forever. ■ Each Bursary Award will be given to the son or daughter of a Service man or woman killed, wounded or injured while serving his/her country. Awards will be made available to the children of all ranks from all parts of the Armed Forces – regardless of whether they have connections with one of the three schools or not.
DOES MY CHILD QUALIFY FOR A BURSARY AWARD?
WHO QUALIFIES FOR A RADLEY ARMED FORCES FUND BURSARY AWARD? ■ The ‘child’ or children of a ‘Qualifying Parent’ ■ ‘Child’ means natural child, dependent step-child or dependent adopted child
■ Entry to the three schools is possible at any age, although entry at 13+ or 16+ for boys or 11+, 13+ or 16+ for girls would be preferred. All awards will be means-tested and the bursaries awarded (up to full fees) will be paid either for the usual five years or for the two sixth form years. In addition, at 11+, we will be able to provide support for two years at Prep School for those who need to ‘bridge’ the two years between State Primary School and Independent Senior School. This would give a child some early experience of boarding and help him/her to adapt to a new system of schooling.
■ A ‘Qualifying Parent’ is any man or woman who enters ‘Service’ and is killed or dies whilst in, and as a result of, Service; or is discharged from Service as a result of any wound or injury sustained whilst in Service; any illness (including any trauma, nervous shock, stress-related or other syndrome) sustained whilst in Service or aggravated by reason of Service; or any other health defect or condition (whether causing death or illness) sustained whilst in, and as a result of, Service or aggravated by reason of Service. ■ ‘Service’ means any employment (full or part-time) within any part of the Armed Forces. ■ ‘Armed Forces’ means and includes the British Army, the Royal Navy, The Royal Air Force and the Royal Marines and their respective reserve forces. ■ This bursary scheme is open to Qualifying Parents of all ranks. If you haven’t considered independent education for your child before, we would encourage you to apply.
HOW WILL BURSARY AWARD HOLDERS BE SELECTED? ■ Award Holders will be selected on allround merit, having been interviewed and assessed. A School report will be requested. ■ Academic ability will be assessed either by sitting the Common Entrance examination or by taking suitable tests in English and Maths. A candidate’s character and potential will also be taken into account, as will his/her ability to cope with the normal academic standards of the school. ■ Also important will be the candidate’s potential to benefit from, and contribute to, the general life of the school. ■ Financial need will be taken into account. All bursaries will be means-tested to assess financial need in line with criteria agreed by the Bursars of the three schools.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NEXT?
HOW TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BURSARIES FROM THE RADLEY ARMED FORCES FUND? ■ If you would like to find out more about the Armed Forces Fund or make some initial enquiries, please telephone Elisabeth Anderson, Development Director, on 01235 543157 or EHMA.Anderson@radley.org.uk
HOW TO APPLY FOR AN ARMED FORCES FUND BURSARY? ■ If you would like to apply for an Armed Forces Fund Bursary, please contact Sophie Langdale, Director of Admissions and Communications, via email: admissions@radley.org.uk
■ Applications for Bursary Awards must be submitted by the end of October in the year prior to entry.
■ Information will be made available about the schools, their facilities and the Armed Forces Fund. Visits can be arranged.
■ The earliest possible entry date to Radley, Downe House and St Mary’s Calne is September 2022.
■ Assessment and selection will take place in early December each year.
■ Each application must demonstrate that the candidate is the child of a Qualifying Parent.
www.stmaryscalne.org
www.radley.org.uk
www.downehouse.net
You are most welcome to visit the Schools. In the first instance please look at the websites above.