Private school to pilot project to offer places to kids in care

By Toby Porter

A leading private school is one of a handful taking part in a pilot to give places to children who have been in care.

A project to help vulnerable youngsters, the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation wants Alleyn’s, in Dulwich, to take them and transform their changes, partly funded by the government.

Head of Alleyn’s Jane Lunnon, who is a trustee of the foundation, said: “We are very excited to be selected as one of only a handful of schools in the country, to spearhead this pioneering project, with the Royal National SpringBoard Foundation.

“The aim of the project is to provide bursary places in outstanding independent day schools, for looked after or vulnerable children.”

The first ones will joint the school in September 2022. She added: “If it is successful, the hope is that this could be rolled out and replicated more widely across the country and in that case, could provide an utterly transformative model for children in care in this country.

“We take this opportunity and this responsibility very seriously and we feel genuinely honoured to have been selected to be part of it.”

The project is an extension of an existing arrangement which allows children to move from care placements into full boarding.

Now that day schools are included, many more young people will be able to benefit.

Ali Henderson, chief executive of the charity, said: “We know there is a real desire among day schools to support our efforts to improve the life chances of children in, and on the edge of, care and the events of the past year have made the need for action even more urgent.