I was in Year 9 at Holly Lodge Girls’ College in Liverpool when my parents were approached by the Head with the proposal that I apply for an Arnold Foundation bursary to attend Rugby School. I think he thought I should have a go because I was performing well academically and was involved with the extra-curricular programme at Holly Lodge so  would match the attributes that Rugby was looking for  - and I would benefit from the experience and the wider educational possibilities.   

Leaving Liverpool or going to a boarding school had not been on my radar so, even after several visits and the interviews, it didn’t seem like a real prospect to me. I was so excited that apprehension didn’t really kick in until I arrived.    

I got there on a Sunday and on Monday it was straight into seven lessons so there was no time to get stressed. I had been used to a school that started at nine o’clock and finished at three! I got involved in netball and debating (which I had enjoyed at Holly Lodge), and took up hockey and tennis (which I had never played before). I could play the piano, not very well, but I made friends with a girl who was a music scholar and she encouraged me to go with her to the Music Centre and practise.  

I enjoyed living in a boarding house. I felt that I wasn’t just a student at a school but part of something bigger. The singing and drama were fun; the whole House involvement was more important than the competitions.  

The campus at Rugby is big and beautiful. It can sometimes feel like living in a bubble but it’s in the middle of the town so you are aware that there is ‘real life’ going on alongside, especially when you do your Rugby 360 activities.  

The academic experience and support were amazing – ‘clinics’ available outside lessons, personal tutoring, and a wider choice of A level subjects than would have been available to me at my old school.   

The move to Rugby School was a complete upheaval for me. My biggest fear was that I’d be treated differently but that wasn’t the case.  

I did History, English and Politics at A level. I was also part of a 5-day trip to Washington DC which inspired me to study international relations.  

Grace Heaney (RB 22-24)

Legacies and the Arnold Foundation: A Pledge Fulfilled

Six years after making our own pledge to honour 450 of Rugby’s legacy donors and pledgers with a plaque on The Close, we have installed a set of beautiful monoliths near the entrance to the Lewis Gallery with the names of hundreds of Rugbeians, parents and friends of the School. The monoliths are witness to extraordinary generosity, recognising not only the value but also the impact of legacy gifts. In addition to the names on display, there are many more who remain anonymous.

All Legacy pledgers and donors to Rugby School and the Arnold Foundation become members of the Charles Shorto Legacy Society, and have their names installed on the plaque. 

Finding out more about leaving a legacy, or send an email to Laura Fairbanks at lf@rugbyschool.net