Lomond School promises to boost scholarships

Nov 7 2008 by Amanda McKendrick, Lennox Herald (main ed)

A PRIVATE school will increase the number of scholarships it offers poorer pupils in a bid to retain charitable status.

Lomond School in Helensburgh was one of four which failed a public benefit test set by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).

In a report, OSCR found the school had “unduly restrictive conditions” which meant access was limited to the well-off.

This is despite the fact that Lomond spends a greater percentage of its income on supporting disadvantaged pupils than other private schools in Scotland.

The school, which last year contributed £865,000 of financial help for its pupils, has been told it has four years to implement changes, such as such as widening bursary schemes, and improving access for pupils from poorer backgrounds.

If Lomond fails to do this, the school may be struck off the charitable register, costing it thousands of pounds a year in tax relief.

It must notify OSCR within three months whether it intends to comply, and headmaster Angus Macdonald confirmed this week that Lomond intended increasing the number of bursaries available.

It is believed the 583-pupil school – which charges between £895 a term for nursery classes and £2805 per term for the senior year – offers just two full scholarships per year, although other assistance is available for pupils.

The watchdog’s chief executive, Jane Ryder, said: “We concluded that, after having looked at all aspects of the public benefit assessment, the public benefit test was not met.

“This was mainly due to significant fees, and the fact that there was not sufficient help in place so that those who cannot pay the fees can also benefit .

“We are looking for an early acknowledgment of the intention to introduce changes, and for them to be implemented within a reasonable time period.”

Fees at Lomond, which caters for both day and boarding pupils from the age of three to 18, include textbooks, stationery and materials.

School trips have ranged from canoeing expeditions to Sweden and trekking in Morocco to a week at a language school in Nice.

Last year Lomond received the highest number of “excellent” ratings of any secondary school in Scotland.

Mr Macdonald said: “The school is pleased that OSCR acknowledged that Lomond retains its charitable status and that it has officially recognised that our means- tested bursary scheme meets the requirement to have unrestricted access to the high quality education that we offer.

“We look forward to increasing the number of bursary pupils at the school, in line with our existing policy.”

The three other schools which failed the test are Hutchesons’ Grammar in Glasgow, Merchiston Castle in Edinburgh and St Leonard’s in St Andrews.