Welcome

The Francis Holland Schools Trust is an educational charity which manages three independent day schools for girls in central London, across three sites.

The schools were founded by Canon Francis Holland in the late 19th Century and have been called Francis Holland School ever since. The Trust is responsible for all of its schools.

Established in 1878, the Trust now employs over 350 staff and provides financial stability through the shared Bursary and shared Board of Governors known as The Council. There are currently 15 members who are all pre-eminent in their professional fields, providing well-informed advice via a structure of committees to both schools.

All Francis Holland Schools therefore benefit from not only a strong financial foundation but also shared best practice both educationally and administratively. The Trust however recognises the different characters of each school and great value is placed on the autonomy each Head has over their school in terms of staffing, curriculum, uniform and culture.

There is a close working relationship between the Chairman of Governors, the Heads and the Bursar ensuring a smooth running organisation.

Several members of Council of the Francis Holland Schools Trust have recently received letters, including copies of correspondence sent to the schools’ Heads, about the issues raised by the death in the United States of George Floyd and subsequent events and discussions.

The Council is confident that, consistent with the schools’ commitment to Christian ethics and values, the schools deal with equalities issues in a systematic, sensitive and understanding way, in their curricular, co-curricular and pastoral activities. We accept that this is an area where we must continue to listen, to broaden our understanding and ensure that developments take place as appropriate, and the issues raised in the correspondence will be reviewed in the Council’s committees, particularly the Education Committee, to ensure we are providing an education which is as diverse as possible and fully prepares girls for life beyond FHS.

One of Francis Holland’s key objectives is to offer a first-class education to children whose families would not otherwise be able to afford it. We are delighted that our Bursary scheme has enabled so many girls to benefit from a Francis Holland education, despite their financial circumstances.

Financial assistance is available on entry to the School, typically at Year 7 and into the 6th Form, to enable access to a Francis Holland education to talented pupils from families who are not able to afford full fees. Applications for financial support should be submitted on registration. These are currently reviewed by external agents, Bursary Administration Limited (BAL), and ratified by the Bursary, the Head and by the Chair of Finance and Estates Committee.

Decisions about the award of bursaries take account of a number of factors, including:

  • The individual talents and ability of the girl
  • The overall financial circumstances of the fee payers, both income and assets
  • The family circumstances of the applicant
  • The financial position of the Trust

The level of financial support available will require a full assessment of the financial position of the family, including income, expenditure, assets and liabilities. Circumstances vary, so it is not possible to give precise guidance as to levels of support available. However, it is probable that a family with income of less than £40,000 and net assets of less than £50,000 will be deemed eligible for 100% support, subject to other criteria. Similarly, a family with income in excess of £100,000 and net assets in excess of £100,000 may not be deemed eligible for any support. It should be noted that, typically, family homes are not taken into consideration in assessing net assets, though this may not apply in the case of significantly large or valuable homes.

The level of support is reassessed annually as family circumstances may change. Once awarded, support is available for school fees and certain other costs of attending the school, deemed essential for the pupil’s education. Remission on a third of the fees is automatically available to places offered to daughters of the clergy.

Francis Holland is also part of the London Fee Assistance Consortium, along with a number of other independent schools, full details can be found here.

For further information and help with individual queries please do not hesitate to contact The Bursary via email (parentqueries@fhst.org.uk).

Francis Holland Prep
Francis Holland Regent’s Park
Francis Holland Sloane Square

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Francis Holland Prep
Francis Holland Regent’s Park
Francis Holland Sloane Square