With the advent of the Charities Bill there is a requirement for charities to demonstrate that they provide public benefit to remain eligible for charitable status.

The guidance from the Charities Commission states that public benefit has to be consistent with the College’s aims. Radley College’s aims are to further the education of young people. We are committed to broadening access to this.

Activities providing public benefit relating to the education of young people are listed here and other activities which benefit the broader community are listed here. Listings refer to the academic year 1 September 2007 – 31 August 2008.

The highly successful Wednesday Activities programme (in which all fifth formers help with projects useful to the local community) is about to start its fifth year and the list of organisations which Radleains help continues to grow.

Overseas projects such as the work which we are doing in Romania and India continue. As well as being extremely valuable to the boys who go on them they are of genuine and considerable help to the countries we are working with.

Radley has a strong tradition in cricket coaching and the Radley College / Oxfordshire Cricket Board Cricket Academy (which is now entering its third year) is expanding to provide facilities and expertise to even more local schools.

Helping the community has always played a large part in the ethos of Radley and this document highlights the considerable number of links that the school and individual dons have developed. It is a testament to the industry, imagination, and public spirit of the dons here at Radley College.

Parents who pay fees for their children’s education also contribute to state education through taxation.
2007/08 DCSF figures show that the average spend per pupil in the state sector is £5,430.
As a school of 645 pupils, our parents therefore save the taxpayer some £3.5M a year.

Public benefit through education

Education itself has long been (and remains) a charitable purpose and a public good.
Radley has entrance requirements which are a lot less strict than many independent schools - or state grammar schools (Common Entrance 55%) and yet our results are comparable with the best.

Independently educated children produce a high and vital percentage of A grades at Alevel in maths, science, and modern languages. 60% of modern languages A grades from school entrants come from the independent sector. The figures for all science subjects and for engineering are between 40% and 50%. (These figures taken from ISC’s June
2007 response to the Charity Commission’s Consultation on the Draft Public Benefit Guidance).

Radley’s results in these subjects at A level in Summer 2007 were:

(The overall A/B% over all subjects for Summer 2007 was 90.06).

Many of these are subjects which are under threat in UK universities. These figures show the importance of independent schools in sustaining university departments in the ‘hard’ subjects, because not all state schools can prepare enough students for entry to leading universities in these subjects.
Radley also provides excellence in other areas, many of which are largely non-examined such as sport, drama, music.

Bursaries and Scholarships

Through bursaries and scholarships, Radley College provides £656,000 per year in help with fees.

Foundation Awards (Means Tested)

Monies raised by the Foundation and donated to the College. They are awarded to boys aged 13+ and 16+ of particular merit, not already at Radley who, for financial reasons would not otherwise be able to come to Radley. All awards are subject to a means test of parents and can cover up to full fees. In 2007/8 £150,000 was given in foundation awards. In 2008/9 this figure is expected to be £271,385. Included in the 2008/9 figure is £52,290 assisting two boys from Eastern Europe to join our sixth form.

Hugo Rutland Fund (Means Tested)

In 2007/8 £10,458 was given from the Hugo Rutland Fund. This is money donated by relatives and friends of Hugo Rutland (OR) who tragically died a week or so before his eldest son was due to start at Radley. The primary aim of the fund is to enable, or continue, the education of children whose parents find themselves in similar tragic circumstances, or children with talent whose parents could otherwise not afford a place at Radley.

Silk Award (Means Tested)

This award is for a candidate showing all round qualities whose parents are not able to afford full fees. Between candidates of equal merit, preference will be given to sons of clergymen and boys living in Oxfordshire.

War Memorial Funds (Means Tested)

In cases of hardship, financial assistance from the War Memorial Funds may in certain circumstances be granted: first consideration is given to the sons of Old Radleians.

Scholarships (Non Means Tested)

For 2007/8 the maximum non-means tested awards were 25%.

From 2008/9 the following non –means tested scholarships will be offered:

• Up to 13 Academic Scholarships and Exhibitions, varying in value up to 10% fees.
• Thompson Scholarships of up to 10% fees (usually between three and five per year), to assist boys who do not necessarily attain the standard of an open award, but who are of a good standard academically and also have particular merit in some other field - artistic, musical or athletic - which will enrich the life of the school, are also offered.
• Two Art Scholarships and an Exhibition, each of no more than 10% fees.
• Five Music Scholarships, of up to 10% fees and a number of Instrumental Exhibitions. All music awards include free instrumental and vocal tuition.
• All awards may be supplemented by a means tested bursary in case of need which means that any boys who win a Scholarship or Exhibition should be able to attend Radley College.
• Eight boys who gained scholarships for entry in September 2008 were means tested and subsequently awarded bursaries.

Bursaries (Means Tested)

Historically, Radley College has not had any bursary funds to assist parents who encounter financial hardship during their son’s time at Radley. However, in 1994, the Council of Radley College decided to create a small fund by setting aside monies for general bursaries. The award of General Bursaries is considered termly by a small Sub-Committee of the General Purposes Committee of Council.
£23,824 of general bursaries have been granted during 2007/8, plus a further £33,319 of other bursaries.

Choristerships

Radley currently has 21 choristers who sing in the choir and receive free music tuition.

Radley offers boys between the ages of 7 and 13 who attend schools within easy reach the opportunity to sing treble in the chapel choir, alongside the older boys from the school, who sing the lower parts. We welcome applications from any boy, from the state or independent sector; the minimum that we require is a commitment to learning, a reasonable natural ear and enjoyment of performing. Boys are selected after a simple interview, and a voice and ear test. They also have the opportunity to sing a prepared piece if they wish.

Choristers in English cathedrals, colleges and major parish churches have access to one of the best musical educations available anywhere in the world. Singing regularly as a group is the surest way to develop a musical ear and learn to read music fluently. These benefits are well attested and the Anglican choral tradition is, as a result, the envy of the world. One of the results of this excellent musical education is that ex-Choristers are strong candidates for music scholarships at Radley and other independent schools. Choristers at Radley also receive free individual singing lessons to help them develop as singers, as well as free tuition on up to two instruments, either given by the College’s well-established specialist instrumental staff or by the boy’s existing instrumental teacher if preferred. Chorister families are also able to use the College’s sports and leisure facilities at certain times, including the nine-hole golf course, squash and tennis courts, and swimming pool. Again this is free of charge. For the choristers themselves, there is the added bonus of pocket money, which is accrued per service, and is added up and paid in a lump sum termly. In addition a similar amount is added by Radley to a savings account termly on behalf of the boy and paid in a lump sum on completion of his choristership career at Radley.

During term time, choristers are expected to come to Radley three times a week: for rehearsals, music theory tuition and the Sunday Sung Eucharist Service (which chorister families are very welcome to attend).

Other than these services, they sing at the three annual Carol Services, two Confirmation Services (which take place on Sundays in the Michaelmas and Summer terms, finishing at 12.15pm), the College Leavers’ Service (on a Saturday in early July), and at occasional concerts and special services.

Singing and instrumental lessons are arranged to suit parents and the school’s timetable.

Approximately 50% of Radley’s choristers are from state schools.

Fundraising for charities

So far, over £86,000 has been raised for charities this academic year.

The charities supported by Chapel collections include:

• PALS
• NSPCC
• Tearfund
• Bishop of Oxford's Outreach Fund
• Hope for Heroes
• Kids Company
• Emmaus Oxford
• Crisis
• St James Church Radley
• UCLH (Leukaemia research)
• Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Save the Children
• Prospects
• Cancer Research UK
• Hope for Hollie
• Blesma
• Spinal Injuries Association
• Red Cross
• CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young)

(This list compiled May 2008 so the total will be higher by the end of the academic year.)