Elite Colleges defend rejecting donation to fund scholarships for underprivileged white boys

‘Discrimination on grounds of a boy’s colour could never be compatible with our values’: Elite Colleges defend rejecting donation to fund scholarships for underprivileged white boys

  • Sir Bryan Thwaites wanted to give to Winchester College and Dulwich College
  • The offer was apparently refused for fear that it would break equality laws 
  • A scholarship at Cambridge University was funded by star Stormzy last year
  • However the two public schools have now defended turning down the money

Two elite public schools have defended turning down gifts worth more than £1million to fund scholarships for poor white boys.

Sir Bryan Thwaites, 96, wanted to leave the money to Winchester College and Dulwich College because he had attended both on scholarships.

He planned to help poor, white students because research has shown that they are among the lowest achievers in education. 

The offer was apparently refused for fear it would break equality laws. However the two colleges have now defended turning down the money.

A spokesman for Winchester College told the BBC said: ‘The school, in common with many universities, has outreach schemes aimed at carefully selected and under-represented communities. 

Sir Bryan Thwaites, 96, wanted to leave the money to Winchester School and Dulwich College (pictured) because he had attended both on scholarships

These schemes operate successfully and are regularly reviewed.

‘The school will continue to discuss with benefactors the effective delivery of their intentions.

‘But the trustees are clear, having consulted widely, that acceptance of a bequest of this nature would neither be in the interests of the school as a charity, nor the specific interests of those it aims to support through its work.

‘Notwithstanding legal exceptions to the relevant legislation, the school does not see how discrimination on grounds of a boy’s colour could ever be compatible with its values.’

And  Master of Dulwich College, Dr Joe Spence, said: ‘We are extremely grateful to the many benefactors who support the College’s bursary fund. Their generosity means we are able to offer academically able boys a place at Dulwich College.

‘I am, however, resistant to awards made with any ethnic or religious criteria. Bursaries are an engine of social mobility, and they should be available to all who pass our entrance examinations, irrespective of their background.’

Last year a scholarship at Cambridge University, funded by grime star Stormzy, offered financial support for black British students.

Last year a scholarship at Cambridge University, funded by grime star Stormzy, (pictured) offered financial support for black British students

Last year a scholarship at Cambridge University, funded by grime star Stormzy, (pictured) offered financial support for black British students

Sir Bryan told The Times: ‘If Cambridge University can accept a much larger donation in support of black students, why cannot I do the same for under-privileged white British?

‘Winchester said it would harm its reputation by accepting my bequest, but in my opinion it would gain enormously by being seen to address what is the severe national problem of the underperforming white cohort in schools.’

Sir Bryan, who was a leading university professor, wanted to give £800,000 to Winchester in Hampshire (pictured) and £400,000 to Dulwich in south London

Sir Bryan, who was a leading university professor, wanted to give £800,000 to Winchester in Hampshire (pictured) and £400,000 to Dulwich in south London

The least likely to succeed

White working class boys are doing the worst at GCSE and are the least likely group to go to university, say official figures.

Only 3 per cent of Oxford students were white working class, according to a report last year from the National Education Opportunities Network.

And in 2017, a study also revealed how only 25 per cent of white pupils had received private tuition, compared with 56 per cent of Asian and 42 per cent of black children.

Trevor Phillips, the former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said in the online magazine Standpoint that a ‘lethal cocktail of inverted snobbery, racial victimhood and liberal guilt’ was the reason for the reluctance to help poorer white pupils.

Sir Bryan, who was a leading university professor, wanted to give £800,000 to Winchester in Hampshire and £400,000 to Dulwich in south London.

A Winchester spokesman said: ‘Acceptance of a bequest of this nature would neither be in the interests of the school as a charity nor the interests of those it aims to support through its work.’

A spokesman for Dulwich College said: ‘Bursaries are an engine of social mobility and they should be available to all who pass our entrance examinations.’

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