Francis Holland School, Sloane Square’s Bursaries Campaign

At Francis Holland School, Sloane Square, their vision is to provide an inspiring education in a community which empowers girls to become the leaders, thinkers, innovators, designers, entrepreneurs, and game-changers of tomorrow. In today’s fast changing technological world, where work is increasingly global, mobile and conceptual and the workplace is fast evolving as automation, machine learning and AI take the fore, talented young women from all backgrounds are making a positive difference. FHS is at the forefront of this change, providing a transformational education to those who demonstrate the promise to succeed, regardless of their background.

Presently, 25 girls at Francis Holland School (FHS) Sloane Square receive some form of financial support to attend the School. By 2032, their target is to increase this figure to at least 50 girls. As part of this vision to widen access, they are seeking to achieve a significant increase in support provided to young people from low-income and disadvantaged backgrounds. All financial awards are made through a comprehensive and independently managed means-testing process.

Headmistress, Lucy Elphinstone has said, ‘Every child deserves the chance of an outstanding education. We want to help those with promise and ambition to enjoy the opportunities that every child should have the chance to experience; the opportunity of a transformational education at Francis Holland School, Sloane Square.’

Francis Holland launched Foundation Scholarships, new awards for those who would not be able to attend the school without significant financial support, in May 2022. Support for these girls goes well beyond the annual fee, covering other education-related costs such as uniform, trips and digital devices, ensuring Foundation Scholars get the most from their Francis Holland experience and wholly benefit from the excellent education on offer. Fee income alone is insufficient to realise their ambitious plans and so they have launched the Promise Campaign which aims to build a £15 million endowment fund by 2032 to support Foundation Scholars. They have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the school community, which has meant they have already raised over £400,000 of the £750,000 target for the 2022-23 academic year.

In December 2022, FHS was named the Sunday Times Independent School of the Year 2023. One reason for this is their incredible public exam results (94% of GCSE grades were A-A and 81% A, while 75% of A-Level results were A-A and 40% A in 2022), which have been on a dramatic upward trajectory over the last five years. They have risen from 91st in 2019 (the last year public exams were able to take place as normal) to 13th in 2022, and are now 8th out of all London schools. However, what really sets the school apart is outstanding pastoral care, reflected in core values of love and service and a strong sense of community which allows girls to achieve their fullest potential.

Integral to this is a comprehensive programme of pastoral care and support specifically for the Foundation Scholars, ensuring that they experience a smooth integration into the FHS community so they will thrive both in their studies and wider school life. Each child is seen as a unique individual whose gifts may be diverse and whose thinking may be unorthodox, but whose needs can be transformed by courage and who can succeed greatly through belief and encouragement. The school’s innovative approach to education – building resilience, developing creativity and encouraging enterprise – is now widely accepted as vital to preparing children from all backgrounds for the challenges of adult life.

FHS looks forward to seeing the school community continue to be enriched by the Foundation Scholars in months and years to come, and are extremely grateful to the past and present parents, alumni, staff, friends, and local community for their generous support for the transformational bursaries campaign so far.

If you would like to find out more or apply for a bursary, please visit yourpromise.org.uk.

See Francis Holland Sloane Square’s online listing here.