Fee Assistance News

 Surge in applications for fee assistance to Pocklington School

October 2021

Pocklington School has received a sevenfold increase in bursary applications from external candidates in the last academic year, following its continued drive to encourage a culture of giving back and increase accessibility to the school.

Following a sustained programme of outreach activities and visits to local senior schools, Pocklington School has successfully generated interest from pupils looking for different post 16 options in the local area. Whilst visits to the school were not possible due to the pandemic, online presentations and video tours were utilised to demonstrate the wide range of educational and co-curricular opportunities on offer at Pocklington School, plus the availability of up to 100% fee assistance for the school’s Sixth Form.   

Almost 80% of the applications for fee assistance in the last 12 months were successful, with the majority receiving full funding to enable pupils to attend the school.  All of the awards are offered on a strictly means-tested basis to families who would not otherwise be able to afford the full fees.    

The increase in applications comes in the same year as Pocklington School has launched its ‘Shape the Future Campaign’ to raise money for bursaries. The Campaign seeks to raise £10 million for the John Dolman Trust endowment fund in 10 years to provide bursary places at the school in perpetuity.   The Campaign also aims to raise £50,000 every year for the Annual Bursary Fund, which is used for immediate need.

Kate Groves, School Governor at Pocklington School, has been appointed as an Ambassador for the campaign and will be assisting in the fundraising programme.  Kate said: “I am delighted to be part of the Shape the Future campaign, through which we can support and nurture individuals, allowing them to develop and giving them the confidence to achieve their full potential. Pocklington School is a warm, inclusive, fabulous school and this Campaign will allow us to provide additional bursary places and to give those pupils the opportunity to join this wonderful community and experience everything the school has to offer.”

Sixth Form student Kim currently receives fee assistance to attend Pocklington School and is studying for A Levels in Art, Business and Photography.  Kim said: “From my first visit to Pocklington School I was immediately welcomed by the homely atmosphere and instantly knew that this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. I was very keen to be resilient and to try new things such as boarding, which allows me to focus on my studies and learn important skills, preparing me for the future as well as living with friends and having fun.

With the help of the supportive staff and peers I quickly settled in.  Being here has allowed me to expand in my athletic and creative abilities due to the excellent facilities and teachers that the school offers. It has also increased my confidence and ambition and I am proud to have been awarded roles of responsibility including School Prefect and Head of Faircote House. Without the fee assistance I wouldn’t have been able to experience this life changing opportunity, which I believe has given me such a great platform for my future.”

To find out more about applying for fee assistance to Pocklington School’s Sixth Form contact Gemma Briggs on 01759 321200 or download the booklet and information at https://bit.ly/38Bn6Ib

The Shape the Future fundraising campaign is currently being rolled out to the Pocklington School community with information also available on its website at www.pocklingtonschool.com/shapethefuture  

New Head of Sixth Form promotes fee-assisted places at Pocklington School

December 2020

Tim Morris, the new Head of Sixth Form at Pocklington School, is keen to encourage students from across the region to consider applying to the School’s Sixth Form as they consider their Post 16 options. Up to 100% fee assistance is available to applicants who have the spirit and drive to make the most of the many opportunities the School offers but would otherwise not be able to afford to attend.

Mr Morris said: “As someone who is new to the independent school sector, I am amazed at the depth and breadth of the opportunities available to our Sixth Form students, all here on one campus.  In this most extraordinary year, the teaching quality, pastoral support and enrichment opportunities provided for each individual student have been outstanding. 

The facilities the students enjoy include a dedicated Sixth Form centre with a café, plenty of places for independent study, extensive sports facilities, a theatre, a music school, a swimming pool and much more. Our students have a truly extraordinary experience with small class sizes, specialist teachers for every subject, expert in-house careers advice, all within an incredibly friendly and welcoming community. I would urge all students looking at post 16 options to consider applying here, especially as there is fee assistance available if required.”

2020 leavers from the School’s Sixth Form went on to study subjects as diverse as banking and finance, psychology, civil engineering, marketing management, law, sports journalism, modern languages and cultures, social anthropology, music, computer science, medicine and arts foundation courses. Others joined school leaver apprenticeship schemes or went directly into employment or the armed forces.  

Pocklington School focuses on helping every student to achieve their aims by boosting their confidence, leadership and life skills, alongside solid academic achievement. Students are given every chance to follow their passions through a huge range of academic courses and co-curricular activities, which are highly valued by employers and universities.

A former student who received fee assistance as she studied in the Sixth Form said: “The fee assistance to allow me to attend Pocklington School was a life-changing opportunity. The teachers are truly focussed on the individual – helping you in every way possible to achieve your ambitions and become a well-rounded, compassionate individual.  While I was there, not only did I have a brilliant time but the skills it gave me in terms of time management and achieving a good work/life balance have been invaluable. Looking back, I see how it was fantastic preparation for life after school, and the work ethic it instilled in me enabled me to achieve a 1st Class Certification at Medical School.”

Fee assistance doesn’t depend on previous academic success. The school is looking for students who will work hard and take full advantage of the co-curricular activities on offer. There are over 80 leadership opportunities and students choose their own programme of study from a broad curriculum of A Levels and BTECs. They have access to a thriving Careers and Business Network, plus presentations from visiting speakers on a range of topics which helps to prepare them for life after school. 

The Pocklington Foundation community (which includes Pre School through to Sixth Form, ages 3-18) attracts families from all walks of life. The diverse backgrounds of its pupils are highly valued by parents, who recognise that it helps nurture their children into grounded and capable young men and women.

To find out more about fee assistance to Pocklington School’s Sixth Form contact Gemma Briggs on 01759 321200/email: admissions@pocklingtonschool.com or download the booklet and information here .

Headmaster spearheads drive to publicise up to 100% fee-assisted places in Pocklington School’s Sixth Form

June 2019
 
The new Headmaster at Pocklington School, Toby Seth, is leading a drive to spread the word about fee assistance for Pocklington School’s Sixth Form as students across the region consider their options post GCSEs.
 
Every year Pocklington School has funds available to cover all or part of its Sixth Form tuition fees for students whose families wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to pay. The fee assistance is given on a means-tested basis after taking into account the financial circumstances of applicants.
 
Mr Seth, who joined the School in January, said: “If there were one thing I would love to change with immediate effect, it would be to revolutionise the number of families applying for this support. Quite simply, we do not get enough fee assistance applicants at present. We want more applicants so we can help more families.”
 
He added: “Pocklington School is famous for its breadth of opportunities, its warmth of welcome and its dedication to achieving the very highest academic standards. I am constantly struck by the palpable sense of community in the school. We are proud of our connection to our locality and utterly committed to working alongside and supporting our friends and neighbours.”
 
The Pocklington School Foundation community (which includes Pre School to Sixth Form, ages 3-18) attracts families from all walks of life. The diverse backgrounds of its pupils are highly valued by parents, who recognise that it helps nurture their children into grounded and well-rounded young men and women.
 
Sixth Form students choose their own programme of study from a broad curriculum of A Levels and BTECs taught in small classes by academic specialists and visiting experts. Students can play sport to the highest level and enjoy music and drama as part of a huge range of co-curricular opportunities which help develop confidence, resilience and leadership skills. In lessons, pupils develop their habits of mind, in line with the school’s values of “Courage, Truth and Trust”. All of these qualities are exactly the type valued by universities and employers.
 
Mr Seth said: “John Dolman, the founder of our school, was committed to helping young people, whatever their backgrounds. Throughout our 505-year history, we have remained dedicated to education in its broadest sense and a desire to attract students of all circumstances.
 
“We work hard to spread our message widely and we are delighted to have already made contact with a number of schools in the area to help us attract applicants for fee assistance.” 
 
Former Sixth Form pupil James Reckitt, who benefited from fee assistance, went on to achieve a first-class honours degree in Law at the University of York and is now a barrister in York. He said: “Pocklington School felt like home from the first time I visited, and I was sure from the outset that it could provide me with the opportunity to succeed in my professional ambitions. I am confident that had I not received fee assistance I would not have been able to go to Pocklington School, and I would not be where I am today."
 
To find out more about fee assistance to Pocklington School’s Sixth Form contact Gemma Briggs on 01759 321200/email: admissions@pocklingtonschool.com or download the booklet and information at www.pocklingtonschool.com/Scholarships-and-Bursaries