Charity Commission Findings 14 July

SCHOOL TO CONSIDER COMMISSION’S FINDINGS

S. Anselm’s is delighted that the Charity Commission has commended it for the range of benefits that it offers to local young people and the community including organising and hosting sporting festivals and tournaments, offering its music block as a venue for grading examinations and enabling local schools, clubs and youth and church groups to regularly use its swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, music block and dining room facilities.

The praise comes in a report by the Charities Commission, published today (Tuesday, July 14) following an inspection in December 2008.

S. Anselm’s was one of five schools selected by the Commission for a pilot test to gauge if it provides sufficient “public benefit” to the outside community -  both in terms of means-tested bursaries and access to its facilities  - to justify charitable status.

However, in spite of the praise for benefits offered by S. Anselm’s to young and local people, and findings that the school’s bursary scheme “can help those who are unable to afford the fees”, the Commission has concluded that we do not meet the public benefit requirement.

The report concludes “Although it is clear that the charity is taking a number of steps
to address these ... our findings ... show that it needs to make accessibility to its benefits more extensive and targeted at those unable to afford the fees; and take action to ensure that people in poverty are not excluded from the opportunity to benefit.”

Commenting on the findings, Headmaster Simon Northcott, has said:  “The Governors and I are disappointed that the Charity Commission have interpreted the law in such a way that we have fallen short of what they think the standards should be. As a long established, popular and successful Prep School we have an extensive history of being involved in the local community and helping out in that community.”

“We have long been associated with helping those who have not been able to fully afford our fees, and our responsible and humanitarian ethos fully supports the principles embodied by the Charity Commission.”

Mr Northcott added, however, that clearer guidance from the Commission would help S. Anselm’s to ensure it further develops its bursary schemes to achieve the required level.

“We still do not know what level of bursary assistance is acceptable to the Commission – which makes trying to pass this aspect of the test difficult. We met the public benefit requirement in every other way and look forward to receiving more information on the bursary element, which the Commission has said it will provide,” he said.

The Governors of S. Anselm’s now have three months in which to agree to produce a plan that will satisfy the Commission that the totality of benefits can be described as providing a sufficient opportunity to benefit in a material way for those who cannot afford the fees, including people in poverty. They then have to produce this plan within a further nine months.

In conclusion, Simon Northcott said: “Once we have the clearer guidance on exactly what is expected of us the school and its Governors will seriously consider the Commission's findings and work towards addressing its concerns.

“This has not been an easy experience and there is still a long way for us to go, but we remain dedicated to our aim of providing young people that come to us with a love of learning, a passion for life and the confidence and skills to embrace each new challenge.”