Grant-Giving Trusts

Educational trusts help with school fees in some cases of genuine need and with some specific categories, such as orphans, children of the clergy, missionaries and teachers. Genuine needs recognised by grant-making trusts include:

• boarding need, where the home environment is unsuitable because of the disability or illness of the parents or of siblings
• unforeseen family disaster, such as the sudden death of a parent when a child is already at school
• need for continuity when a pupil is in the middle of an examination course and a change in parental circumstances threatens withdrawal from school
• need for special education where there is a genuine recognised learning handicap which cannot be catered for within the state sector and which causes the child severe distress coupled with social problems. Grant-making trusts maintain that special educational needs are the responsibility of local education authorities and are able to help only in the most severe cases

The desire for an independent education which you cannot afford to buy for your child on your own is no reason to apply to a grant-giving trust. Such applications will be rejected.

Parents should also ask their local library for information on local charities, whose funds tend to cover uniform, equipment and essential school expenses rather than fees. They should also ask employers, their unions and other organisations to which they belong whether there are any relevant benevolent funds.

Details of regional and national trusts may be found in the following publications which are available in most public libraries:

• The Directory of Grant-Making Trusts
  Published by the Charities Aid Foundation, 48 Pembury Road, Tonbridge TN9 2JD (Only apply to those trusts which help individuals)
• The Educational Grants Directory
  Published by The Directory of Social Change, 24 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2DP

The ISC Educational Grants Advisory Service (telephone 0207 626 4583) between 9-11am weekdays) which refers genuinely deserving cases to charitable trusts, is operated by the Joint Educational Trust (JET). JET helps children who have suffered tragedy or trauma at home or are at risk in some way. JET enables these children to attend caring independent schools where they have a real chance of making a new start. JET helps by working towards providing a free or reduced-fees place, may also provide grants if there is a shortfall in funding, and often works in conjunction with other charities.