The Foundation
West Buckland School Foundation exists to support and promote West Buckland School through the funding of bursaries, capital projects and general projects awarded at the discretion of the Trustees.
About Us
The West Buckland School Foundation was founded in 2003 by a visionary group who understood the financial challenge facing some parents wanting to give their children the opportunity of an excellent education.
In the past 20 years through the generosity of alumni, parents and friends, the Foundation has been fortunate to be able to support the School in the building and equipping of four major facilities on campus: the Jonathan Edwards Sports Centre in 2008, the 150 Art and Design Studio and Theatre in 2010 and most recently, Parker’s Sixth Form Boarding Centre and the Michael Morpurgo Library in 2015.
Our fully-funded bursaries give children, who otherwise would not have been able to attend West Buckland, a truly life-changing opportunity.
Foundation Bursaries
Our bursary programme offers fully-funded bursaries.
One of the principal objectives of the Foundation is to raise funds in support of fully-funded bursaries to enable talented children from local schools to benefit from a West Buckland education, where financial considerations would otherwise have not made this possible.
The Foundation awards a small number of means-tested fully-funded bursaries each year. Traditionally these run from Year 7 through to and including Year 13. These life-changing bursaries are for children from local state funded schools within West Buckland School’s catchment area. The Foundation funds these awards jointly with the School and applications are also considered for entry into other year groups in the senior school on a case-by-case basis. Families must show a demonstrable financial need and all Foundation bursaries are subject to means-testing and availability of funds.
Please contact the Foundation office in the first instance:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01598 760188
Applications for Year 7 entry in 2025 are now closed. Applications for 2026 entry will open soon. For more information, please contact the Foundation Office.
Support Us
Whether you are able to give your time, your expertise or make a financial contribution – all are equally valued and are part of what makes the wider West Buckland community special.
A donation, big or small, to the Foundation will…
Allow children to receive an outstanding education that their parents could not otherwise afford through our Bursary programme.
Support the development of a range of facilities such as the Parkers and the Michael Morpurgo Library that will keep West Buckland School at the forefront of Independent Schools in the south west.
Provide equipment for the arts, music and the classroom to enrich teaching and learning.
Be your legacy to West Buckland’s future.
The opportunity to give is very flexible and if you are a UK taxpayer giving with Gift Aid enables us to increase the value of your gift by 25%, at no additional cost to you. If you are a higher rate tax payer, the cost is further reduced.
Legacies
Leaving a legacy to a school is one of the most meaningful and enduring gifts you can make.
If and when the time is right for you to put a charity in your will, please remember your time, or your children’s time with us. Some of the most significant gifts made to West Buckland School have come from legacies which have helped transform the school’s campus and boost our bursary fund.
As a registered charity bequests to the Foundation are currently exempt from UK inheritance tax. As a result, legacy gifts have the potential to reduce the tax burden on your family.
The 1858 Society honours those who have helped us in the past by pledging money to the school. Individuals who inform the Foundation of their intention to leave a gift in their will automatically become members of the society. Each member, together with their partner, receives an invitation to an annual 1858 Society event.
Even the smallest legacy can make a real difference and leave an impact beyond your lifetime. We very much hope that you will wish to support the school in this way and become a member of this exclusive and very special donors’ society.
Trustees
The Foundation’s activities are governed by a Board of Trustees which meets three times a year.
Patron: Jonathan Edwards (OWB)
Trustee Emeritus: Lady Arran
Board of Trustees:
Hugo Orchard-Lisle (Chair of Trustees)
Angela Webb (Vice-Chair of Trustees)
Dr Tom Bigge
Jeremy Cooper (former WBS parent)
Brenda Daly (current WBS parent)
Bill Geen (OWB, Vice-President of WBS, OWBA Patron, former Chair of Foundation, former Chair of Governors, former WBS parent)
Alex Jenkins (current WBS parent)
Sarah Nicholson (current WBS parent)
Paul Smalley (former WBS parent)
Rachael Woosey (current WBS parent)
