Sutton Valence School owes its existence to an act of philanthropy, 445 years ago. Sadly, William Lambe's legacy ran out quite quickly after the School was established and since that time, assistance for the payment of fees has come from either local grants or bursary funds set aside from fee income.

In the second half of the Twentieth Century, many Old Suttonians attended Sutton Valence School as beneficiaries of Kent Education Committee Places or the Assisted Places Scheme. These offered bright children the chance of a superb education, irrespective of their parents’ financial circumstances. For others, whose parents were not able to afford the fees, if they wished to come to the School, they had to apply for a bursary, which was funded from a very limited ‘pot’.

Unfortunately, the local KEC places and Assisted Places Scheme have since ended. Furthermore, without an endowment, it was difficult to increase the availability of financial support from which children can benefit through the School's own limited bursary fund. 

In today’s School, there is no doubt that the individual care, inspirational teaching and breadth of opportunities offered at Sutton Valence can be life-changing. We are, therefore, determined to increase the number of bursaries that may be granted to allow children with potential to attend the School.

The establishment of a dedicated bursary fund, held apart from the School operating accounts in a trust, not only helps more children to benefit from the unique education we can offer, but also releases fee income to preserve the School fabric and improve our teaching and learning. The 1576 Fund is more than simply a fundraising exercise, it is an opportunity for our community to come together for the collective benefit of future Suttonians.