Eton College

Eton College is reducing the number of bursaries it offers so that by the 2027/2028 academic year only 70 boys out of more than 1,300 at the school will remain on free places, The Daily Mail has reported.

The school website reports that 105 boys had free places in the 2022/3 academic year.

Eton’s provost Sir Nicholas Coleridge and the college’s fellows have told staff they “were concerned about the exceptional drawdown from the endowment as well as the size of the deficit in light of the changes made by the new Labour Government”.

Coleridge previously told parents that Eton would apply the full 20% VAT to school frees from next year as the school has so many financial commitments.

An Eton spokesperson said the school will continue to run a “comprehensive bursary programme£”, adding: “Eton has eight separate bursary programmes of different kinds, with a record number of over 300 boys currently receiving financial support some at 110% of fees, some 100%, others 90% or 70% etc.

“Any reduction in the overall bursary and scholarships funding will not take effect until 2027/28 and forms part of a wider financial review by the College. It should also be seen in the context of Eton’s extensive partnerships programme and our commitment to opening three new sixth forms in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Oldham, in conjunction with Star Academies.”