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Giving Day 2024 was an outstanding success, raising over £100,000 for the Arnold Foundation and the Earle Fund, with an incredible 487 donors, from 21 countries.
We are thrilled with the results and it was heartwarming to see our community come together to support and raise funds for this event. It was truly a team effort, involving the participation of every member of our schools including the teachers, students, IT support team, groundsmen, catering teams, housemistresses, and housemasters, among many others.
Thank you to everyone involved - this success wouldn't have been possible without you!
Our ambition this year is for the Class of 2024 to collaboratively fund a full Arnold Foundation bursary in recognition of the impact that Rugby School has had on the 2024 leavers. The goal is to extend the same opportunity to an individual who might not otherwise have the means to consider a boarding school education.
Every gift, of any size, will go directly to fund boarding bursaries and open the doors to an unforgettable education.
Bilton Grange Preparatory School was established in 1873 and has been proudly located at its current site since 1887. From September 2023 to 2024, we commemorated our 150th anniversary with a year-long celebration known as 'BG150.'
Throughout this milestone year, we hosted numerous events, bringing together over 400 members of the Bilton Grange community. These efforts raised more than £50,000 to support additional boarding bursaries at Bilton Grange, enabling us to inspire and nurture even more young minds in the future.
Our 2023 Telethon was a great success, raising over £100,000 for the Earle Fund and Arnold Foundation. Our callers had some engaging conversations and wrote some heart-felt follow-up messages as a result of the discussions they'd had.
We extend our gratitude to all those who generously participated, engaging in meaningful discussions with our Rugbeian and Biltonian callers. Your valuable contributions play a crucial role in ensuring that our schools remain accessible to individuals who stand to benefit the most from a boarding education.
In 1567 Lawrence Sheriff took the first steps towards creating history. He left a bequest in his Will to found a school to educate the boys of Rugby and Brownsover. That is how Rugby School began, with a gift of £50 and an orchard in Bloomsbury.
Now, your legacy gift can have a lasting impact on future generations at Bilton Grange or Rugby School.
The Arnold Foundation offers fully funded boarding places to talented and deserving young people with the most to gain from Rugby School, and whose families could not otherwise consider a boarding school education.
When launched in 2003, it was a revolutionary programme. Today, it is a source of immense pride and an intrinsic part of the Rugby School ethos. More than 150 young people have already benefitted from the Rugby experience, amplifying the School’s positive impact and enriching the lives of all our community. With your support, it will provide opportunities for many more in years to come.
The Earle Fund provides fully funded boarding places for students entering Bilton Grange at Year 7 (age 11). It supports talented and deserving young people with the most to gain from Bilton Grange, and whose families could not otherwise consider a boarding school education.
Our aim is for Earle Fund students to thrive at Bilton Grange and continue through to enjoy the full Rugby School experience from Year 9 (age 13).
The Earle Fund launched in February 2022, as an extension of Rugby School’s highly successful Arnold Foundation. With the first-class pastoral care and education at Bilton Grange it provides an inspiring foundation for students’ futures. Your support is crucial to its success.
Mollie Winder
“I had dreamed of boarding school but had a fancy idea of what it would be like. It was a culture shock when I arrived – but the Old Quad fitted the dream. I was amazed at the opportunities here. I tried hockey which turned out to be a great way to bond with the girls in my House and then I was selected to play in the team. I gained so much confidence at Rugby. It’s really important that I say thank you to the Arnold Foundation for giving me the chance to be educated here. My dad hated me leaving home, but he agrees!”
Grant Cumming
"The level of academic support was impressive, especially as teachers were on hand during evenings and at weekends and were always ready to help. I knew early on that chemistry was my subject, closely followed by computing. The Rugby labs were amazing both in terms of space and equipment. I went to Edinburgh University to read Chemistry and stayed on to do a five-year Masters, which included a four-week exchange programme with Tianjin University in China. What I learned as an Arnold Foundation student at Rugby was to seize opportunities. There were so many on offer."
Tshanda
"Even if you are confident about the school, as a parent you feel you are handing over your child. The Arnold Foundation and Rugby have always made me feel that my place in my child’s life is respected; they have supported us from the start, and I am grateful, too, for their standards of privacy and confidentiality in all our dealings."
Francesca Oroma Odongkara
“I was born in Uganda and came to the UK when I was seven and I was one of the first students on the Arnold Foundation programme via IntoUniversity. My family were asylum seekers but had the benefits of family already here. Rugby taught me to be fearless, go against the grain, work hard, push yourself, and expand your outlook. There is nothing to lose. You’ll always learn along the way.”
Mollie Winder
“I had dreamed of boarding school but had a fancy idea of what it would be like. It was a culture shock when I arrived – but the Old Quad fitted the dream. I was amazed at the opportunities here. I tried hockey which turned out to be a great way to bond with the girls in my House and then I was selected to play in the team. I gained so much confidence at Rugby. It’s really important that I say thank you to the Arnold Foundation for giving me the chance to be educated here. My dad hated me leaving home, but he agrees!”
Grant Cumming
"The level of academic support was impressive, especially as teachers were on hand during evenings and at weekends and were always ready to help. I knew early on that chemistry was my subject, closely followed by computing. The Rugby labs were amazing both in terms of space and equipment. I went to Edinburgh University to read Chemistry and stayed on to do a five-year Masters, which included a four-week exchange programme with Tianjin University in China. What I learned as an Arnold Foundation student at Rugby was to seize opportunities. There were so many on offer."
Tshanda
"Even if you are confident about the school, as a parent you feel you are handing over your child. The Arnold Foundation and Rugby have always made me feel that my place in my child’s life is respected; they have supported us from the start, and I am grateful, too, for their standards of privacy and confidentiality in all our dealings."
Francesca Oroma Odongkara
“I was born in Uganda and came to the UK when I was seven and I was one of the first students on the Arnold Foundation programme via IntoUniversity. My family were asylum seekers but had the benefits of family already here. Rugby taught me to be fearless, go against the grain, work hard, push yourself, and expand your outlook. There is nothing to lose. You’ll always learn along the way.”
