Private schools woo poorer children with free places campaign

A group of 19 fee-paying schools including Westminster, St Paul's and St Paul's Girls' School today announced the first advertising campaign aimed at low- and middle-income parents since the Government abolished the Assisted Places Scheme in 1997.

It comes as figures show that while private schools are setting aside increasing amounts of money to help families with fees, such means-tested bursaries are often paid to parents who earn £50,000 a year or more.

Boarding school fees now average more than £20,000 a year, while annual day fees of £10,000 are widespread in London and the South-East.

The campaign, which starts with an advertisement in the Evening Standard, is intended to help the schools keep the tax breaks that come with their charitable status as the Government introduces a tougher test next year.

In a joint statement, the schools said: "There are undoubtedly quite large sectors of the community where it is simply not part of the culture to realise that a third of pupils nationally receive significant assistance with their fees.

"This campaign is about the principle that income should not bar a child from attending an independent school.

"It is not about individual schools."

Private schools are scrambling to show they are not the exclusive preserve of a moneyed elite, ahead of the new "public benefit" test.

Their centuries-old charitable status could be under threat unless the schools can prove to the Charities Commission that they are making their facilities and teaching expertise more widely available.

Many schools have launched fundraising drives to provide more means-tested bursaries, including North London Collegiate School, which is appealing for £4.5million in donations, according to marketing and development director Rowan Kitt.

But although parents on very low incomes whose children meet entrance requirements can get all or part of their fees paid, some form of bursary assistance is available to families whose annual income can be £80,000 a year - a level that is few people's idea of the breadline.

Eton College said parents whose earnings are up to £80,000 can qualify for fee support, while Dulwich has raised its threshold from £40,000 to £60,000 after years of inflation-busting fee increases.

Another four out of 11 London schools contacted by the Standard said they would give partial bursaries to families with incomes of up to £55,000.

The other seven said they could not provide figures, as each case was considered on its merits and the value of assets such as houses and investments was taken into account as well as salaries.