About Us
Charitable Foundation
Welcome to the Foundation of the Royal Alexandra and Albert School.
The school’s Foundation exists to support children. From its early beginnings in the mid-18th century to today, the Foundation has focused on improving the lives of children without one or both parents and securing their better outcomes through a boarding education.
Our History
Founding and Early Years (1758-1847):
In 1758, the Orphan Working School was established by 14 men led by Presbyterian Minister Edward Pickard after a meeting at the George Tavern in London. The establishment opened in 1760 with 20 boys in Hoxton, London, and expanded to admit 14 girls in 1761. In 1774, the school moved to purpose-built premises in City Road, later relocating to Haverstock Hill in North London in 1847.
Amalgamation and Evolution (1865-1947):
The Alexandra Orphanage opened in 1865, merging with the Orphan Working School in 1876 to form the ‘Orphan Working School and Alexandra Orphanage.’ Renamed Alexandra Orphanage in 1923, it weathered wartime relocations in 1939 and 1940. In 1944, it became the Royal Alexandra School. Simultaneously, the Royal Albert Orphan Asylum, established in 1864, underwent name changes, finally becoming the Royal Albert School in 1941.
An Act of Parliament amalgamated the Royal Alexandra Orphanage and the Royal Albert School in 1949, creating the Royal Alexandra and Albert School—a journey from orphanages to a state boarding school. Today, the school is located in Gatton Park, and the Foundation continues to support around 85 children whose home circumstances make a boarding education desirable.
Our Purpose
The core purpose of the Foundation is to accommodate and educate ‘Foundationers’ — these are students who face challenging home circumstances. Typically, these students have lost one or both parents, have a chronically ill parent, have experienced abandonment or abuse, or have parents unable to meet their daily needs. 10% of the school’s boarding places are reserved for Foundationers.
Support Offered
The Foundation provides bursaries for children whose home circumstances require a boarding education and who meet the Foundation bursary criteria. These bursaries are means-tested and range from fully funded boarding places to modest amounts, with most families receiving a bursary of 33% of the boarding fees. Depending on the home circumstances of the bursary recipients, some children may additionally receive pocket money bursaries, uniform bursaries or assistance with school trips and the cost of music and riding lessons.
Collaboration
We collaborate with trusts and benevolent funds, including the Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation, Reedham Trust, Buttle UK, Garfield Weston, Textile Industry Children’s Trust, Emmott Foundation, Lloyd Foundation, BMTA, Thornton-Smith, Plevins Trust, and anonymous donors for this financial aid. A number of students’ boarding charges are funded wholly or partly by Local Education Authorities.
The Foundation strives to get the best possible outcomes for Foundationers, and to this end, there is an ongoing programme to develop and enhance the boarding and learning environment at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School. There is also a commitment to ensure the Foundation can maintain the level of financial support it provides to Foundationers.
Further Information
More information about the bursaries on offer, the criteria for application, and information on how to apply can be found here.