The Bishop Wordsworth’s Foundation is a registered charity committed to supporting the School by offering bursaries for disadvantaged students, facilitating careers opportunities, and by providing grants to help improve the school's built environment, estate and educational experience.
We are delighted that The BWS Foundation support our School and its global community, The BWS Network, in helping to assist and connect Old Wordsworthians throughout their lifetime.
A significant thank you goes to Lord Colin Sharman (1961), Clive Barnett (HM 1992-2002), Stuart Smallwood (HM 2002-2025) and others who had the vision to form the Foundation in 2017. Lord Sharman generously inaugurated the funding for the Foundation.
The BWS Foundation helps to ensure that talented young people from all backgrounds can benefit from the exceptional education Bishop’s provides, regardless of their financial means, through access to bursaries for uniform, extracurricular activities, and transport.
The BWS Foundation has a successful Careers Enablement scheme to help those starting university and graduates with mentoring, work experience, internships and valuable careers advice from experienced alumni.
The Foundation's revenue is sourced from fundraising activities. This financial support aids in providing bursaries and small grants for capital projects and educational ventures. The future goal is to establish and expand an endowment fund using part of the capital. The endowment fund's earnings can then be utilised for funding significant capital projects and educational experiences that benefit the entire School community.
The Foundation Trustees themselves have been actively fundraising to support current pupils and school infrastructure. Chair and OW, Jonathan Shaw, completed a 25-day fast, whilst Trustee Hamish Dunlop walked 60 miles around the Isle of Wight, raising £4K and £1K respectively. Future fundraising initiatives include a sponsored skydive (kudos to the Trustee with a fear of heights for taking on this challenge!) and a 110km walk to be completed in under 30 hours.
The BWS Foundation has established interest clubs that span various topics such as cars, military, rugby, cycling and more. Old Wordsworthians can join these clubs or set up their own. Whether you're a car enthusiast, have a connection or interest in the military, a rugby fanatic or a cycling aficionado seeking fellow riders for weekend excursions, there's a place for you. BWS Foundation Clubs aim to facilitate connections and interaction among former Bishop’s pupils through shared interests. The BWS Foundation has also organised drinks for OWs around the globe including Bermuda, Singapore, Paris and Los Angeles!
Please find copies of our newsletter at the bottom of this page. If you have a story to share please get in touch.
We are keen to hear and share your stories as you reconnect with old classmates, as well as meet alumni from other years through the Foundation Clubs and drinks.
E-mail us at: foundation@bws-school.org.uk
For internships and work experience please contact Caroline Popham, Head of Alumni and Development: cep@bishopwordsworths.org.uk