Charitable Giving

Great schools like Bolton are built on charitable giving. Without doubt the best news this week has been the Government back tracking on the changes for Charitable giving suggested in the budget earlier this year.
Independent Schools, Bolton School amongst them, have been the subject of much comment over the last few years regarding our charitable status. The Charity Commission investigated five such schools as test cases and declared that two were not being charitable. In such investigations there was much talk about public benefit being much more than allowing others to use playing fields or just having a few free places. This is one of those arguments used so often it has almost become believed. It is nonsense simply because it is absolutely true û no independent school ever said that use of fields and a few free places was charitable. Bolton School and many other independent schools like us do a great deal more than that û we have very significant numbers of supported places û 1 in 6 boys and girls at present; we play a very prominent role in the local community and we do what we can in partnership for the furtherance of education in that community and, of course, we help with facilities, resources and expertise. To be charitable and to remember that our parents are paying for an education means we must rely on the huge goodwill and generosity of our Old BoysÆ and GirlsÆ who support the school so strongly in many ways û some financial but also with time, expertise and simply being present at events. Like many other Heads I was horrified that such generosity might be viewed as the well off seeking a further tax haven. Great schools have been built on philanthropy (look at our own re endowment by Lord Lever) and they can now continue in that way.
It is summer half term and thoughts turn to revision. In fact many exams have already taken place. It is always so striking at this time of year why it is important to have a boys school and a girls school, as we have here at Bolton. So often the reasons for being apart end up being articulated with a nudge and a wink and talk of hormones. Single sex education is so much more than that and the different approaches to exams which characterise the two schools are always evident û the boys are last minute, high adrenalin workers who see the whites of the eyes before acting. The girls are generally far more amenable to starting early and working steadily. It is a real benefit being able to absolutely tailor what we do for each group, as well as trying to nurture the very best of the characteristics of the other gender û a little emotional intelligence would not go amiss for boys and a little risk taking would do girls good. All this is possible in our æBest of Both WorldsÆ at Bolton.