West Sussex private school offers bursaries to prospective Twickenham students

A prestigious West Sussex private school is offering bursaries to bright children from the Twickenham area.

Christ’s Hospital School, located in Horsham, is the UK's leading charitable school and largest bursary charity.

The historic boarding school, which is over 450 years old, is known for its unique Tudor uniform, musical marching band and excellent educational reputation.

Clare Phillips, Head of Marketing at Christ’s Hospital, said: "There isn't another school like it.

"Pupils take with them the confidence and resilience that they need to achieve success at university and beyond."

Christ’s Hospital provides free or substantially reduced cost places to 630 of its 900 pupils, more than any other organisation like it in the UK.

The total bursary support given by Christ’s Hospital each year is more than £18 million.

Ms Phillips added: “Part of our mission is to go and find pupils that will thrive here, that need to be here.”

The bursaries that are accessible to prospective students from Twickenham to help fund their attendance to the school are made available through the John & Frances West Family Group.

The income that allows the school to offer means-tested bursary places to all boarding pupils comes from generous endowments from external benefactors, such as John & Frances West.

One of the school's historic methods of entry is via the West Gift Bursary Fund, which helps children from Twickenham, Newbury, Reading and the City of London, areas that the West family had strong connections with.

John & Frances West

John and Frances West lived in the latter part of the 17th and early part of the 18th centuries.

John was baptised in Twickenham on the 1st November 1641, and later married the widow Frances Mickell (nee Sakes) in the City of London in 1665/6 just after the Great Plague (which had claimed the life of her first husband).

John became a wealthy merchant, and the pair lived in a house on the site that is now occupied by the Mansion House.

John and Frances had no children of their own, and therefore, no direct descendants.

However, through their wills of 1721 and 1723 and in indentures they made during their lifetime, the Wests committed their wealth to creating charities that provided pensions and scholarships or the blind and the poor, particularly their Poor Kin.

Today, this money is used to help students fund their time at Christ’s Hospital.

Margaret Edwards, secretary & event organiser for the John & Frances West Family Group said: “John & Frances’ kindness and compassion for children led them to leave their vast fortune in this trust that has helped hundreds of children over the past 300 years since they died.”

Christ's Hospital is different to other independent schools. Want to know more? Watch this video:#ChristsHospital #ASchoolLikeNoOther pic.twitter.com/sjuSjamLXd

— Christ's Hospital (@CHSchoolHorsham) March 22, 2021

The 17th Century Charities of John and Frances West Children may be eligible to enter Christ’s Hospital as a West’s...

Christ’s Hospital School makes the West Gift Bursary fund known to parents and children in Twickenham by contacting every primary school in the area to provide information about the school and bursaries available.

Ms Phillips also said, “Each year we’re going out and finding people who need to be here and are from families who would never have thought about us, but we are also bringing in the full fee payers.

“We are trying to attract people from every background into the school.”

History of Christ's Hospital

Christ’s Hospital was established in 1552 after the young King Edward VI was inspired by a sermon by Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, and instructed the Lord Mayor, Sir Richard Dobbs, to appoint a committee of leading citizens to consider remedies and relief for the City’s homeless poor.

Their work and philanthropy led to the founding of five great Hospitals that all supported different needs within the capital.

Christ’s Hospital was established in the Grey Friars Monastery in Newgate Street, and it embraced task of educating and nourishing the destitute children of the City and took children of all social backgrounds and ages.

The school eventually re-located to the Horsham site in 1902 where it remains today.

Christ's Hospital today

Located just 20 miles north of Brighton, Christ’s Hospital is an independent boarding and day school of 900 pupils with an equal mix of boys and girls aged 11-18.

CH prides itself on its vibrant and challenging curriculum, its variety of rewarding activities outside the classroom including a heavy emphasis on music and sport, and the excellent facilities it provides for its pupils.

Simon Reid, Head Master of Christ’s Hospital, said: "If you would like to learn more about the unique opportunities that we can offer your son or daughter, please contact our Admissions Team on 01403 246555 for an invitation to attend one of our termly Open Mornings and to discover the unique opportunity we offer West descendants through the West's Gift.

"We look forward to welcoming you to our remarkable school."

To learn more about how to apply to the school, it’s fascinating history and its iconic bluecoat uniform, visit the CH website.

To learn more about the John & Frances West Family Group and all the charitable work they do, click here.