Colston’s creates Foundation to support bursaries and widen access
In its 300th anniversary year Colston’s School is creating a Foundation to support bursaries and widen access.
The plan is to maintain and extend the school’s social diversity, enabling boys and girls from modest families to access educational opportunities which would not normally be affordable.
Details were announced tonight (March 17) by the Headmaster Peter Fraser and Chairman of Governors David Marsh at a special reception hosted by the Society of Merchant Venturers.
As trustees of Edward Colston’s original endowment, the Merchants have managed and supported the school since it was founded on the site now occupied by the Colston Hall.
The school moved to its present 30-acre site at Stapleton in1858 when the Merchants purchased the Bishop’s Palace and surrounding land.
Mr Fraser said: “Three hundred years ago Edward Colston had a vision that education was central to life chances.
“The foundation of Colston’s School in 1710, overseen by the Society of Merchant Venturers, immediately impacted on the lives of 100 poor boys.
“Colston’s in the modern age is an all-age, co-educational family school committed to ‘Education for Life’. It is committed to developing young people and challenging them to be the best they can be – and still impacts on lives.
“The Colston’s Foundation is without doubt an initiative clearly aligned with both the intentions and vision of the Founder.
“The aim is very simple – to create a sustainable income to support bursaries designed to widen access to a Colston’s education.
“The rationale – to maintain and extend our social diversity, to enable boys and girls from modest families to access educational opportunities which would not normally be affordable.
“Opportunities that will change lives.”
David Marsh explained that the school had started the re-engagement with former pupils last summer with a telethon. Sixth Form pupils were trained and employed to call all known Old Colstonians.
“Some of us watched them at work,” he said. “They were great, really professional, and did the groundwork for building up an electronic database in a format which is going to last for the next 300 years.”
Mr Marsh praised the Headmaster’s vision and drive in establishing the Foundation, and emphasised that the school’s financial success had generated the funds to carry out major building developments over the past three years.
“Colston’s School is in good health financially and academically,” he added. “It is flourishing because of its record of providing a balanced and rounded education, bringing out the best in every pupil.
“With 800 boys and girls from nursery to sixth form, the school has doubled in size over the last 50 years. Colston’s will continue as an independent, all-age, co-educational, broadly-based school, reflecting the needs of parents and their sons and daughters.”
Mr Fraser added: “The Foundation will seek to invite all former pupils who are able and willing to enable others to access a Colston’s education which will have been a major influence in their lives.
“Their generosity will, I hope, reflect the tradition set by those who have supported the school over the last 300 years.”
He recorded his appreciation for the generosity shown in recent times by Paula Spielman, Kenneth Hilborne, Roger Newport, the Old Colstonian Society and the Society of Merchant Venturers.
“It is time for those who have benefited to be able to give something back,” Mr Fraser added. “In this I trust that the school’s motto ‘Go and Do Thou Likewise’ represents a call for every former pupil to consider how they might respond.”
The school’s Tercentenary celebrations began last Saturday with a concert at the Colston Hall where 300 musicians and singers performed two contrasting works, Rutter’s arrangement of spirituals ‘Feel the Spirit’ and Mahler’s 2nd Symphony the ‘Resurrection’.
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