Poor families ‘put off ’ private school bursaries

The poorest families do not apply for private school bursaries because they fear their children will not fit in, the new president of the Girls’ School Association (GSA) has said.

The most disadvantaged families fear their children would be “out of their depth” and feel “uncomfortable” at a private school so are put off applying for a bursary, according to Gwen Byrom. “There are social and psychological hurdles to applying to an independent school if that is not part of your background,” said Mrs Byrom, headmistress of the Loughborough High School.