Felsted School has won a national award for its successful fundraising efforts.

The school was recognised with the 'Development Award for an Outstanding Fundraising Achievement 2024' by the Independent School Parent magazine.

This award is given to the UK independent school that the judges believe has "demonstrated exceptional success in a creative, community-driven fundraising initiative that significantly furthers the school's mission".

The school’s new initiative has enabled more than 10 free places to be offered each year and financial support is provided to qualifying pupils throughout the school.

The boarding and day school aimed to show donors the "life-changing impact of education".

Kate Love, Felsted’s director of development and alumni relations, said: "Our team has ignited community-wide conversations about philanthropy and the power of education.

"We’ve made a conscious effort to take an inclusive and transparent approach to fundraising and its impact and have put ‘giving back’ in the spotlight, because philanthropy for transformative bursaries is a demonstration of our school values in action."

Felsted School’s fundraising and communication initiatives have attracted more than 340 donations to the bursary fund over the past year.

The school’s first Giving Day in April 2024 attracted a majority of first-time donors.

Ms Love added: "Involving pupils, staff, parents and well-wishers, this community fundraising event alone was so successful that it trebled our donor base in 36 hours.

"The proceeds enabled us to make available an additional fully-funded sixth form place to a young person from our partner school, the Royal Docks Academy in Newham, East London."

The school provides financial aid to a third of its students, at a cost of £2.9 million.

This is mainly funded from the school’s annual income and fundraising, with the aim of widening access to the school for students from a range of backgrounds.

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Bursaries are allocated on a means-tested basis, with several 100 per cent bursaries offered each year.

As well as sixth formers from the Royal Docks Academy, other recipients include those joining through the Royal National Springboard Foundation.

Sixth form scholarships are also made available to students from Eastern Europe, as well as children relocating from Ukraine under the government scheme.