What is public benefit?

The 2006 Charities Act requires all charities, including independent schools, to demonstrate their public benefit, in order to justify their charitable status. Many independent schools were originally founded as charities for the public good, to provide an education for those who would otherwise not receive one at all. The debate that ensued from this Act suggested at times that their altruistic ideals had got lost in more prosperous times; that, in the twenty-first century, they existed only for those who could afford the fees, and thereby enabled the rich to get richer. The meaning of public benefit was energetically discussed, from governors’ meetings to the HMC annual conference where, in 2009, Dame Suzi Leather herself presented the case for the new Act.

While the Charity Commission claims that it was up to the schools themselves how exactly they demonstrated their public benefit, and that a range of activities would be acceptable, it was clear to most heads that increased bursaries were what the Commission was really interested in. (In an initial assessment of five schools, the two that failed did so because they were not offering sufficient access to those who could not afford the fees.)

Now, under the new coalition government, the ground has shifted. The Charity Commission is now focusing its attention on the charitable status of universities, in the light of increased student fees. Most significantly, in October 2010 the Independent Schools Council succeeded in obtaining a judicial review of the way the Charity Commission has been carrying out new ‘public benefit’ tests to determine whether schools’ charitable status is justified. The ISC, which represents 1,260 schools, has accused the Charity Commission of introducing ‘vague, uncertain, legally flawed’ new rules, which are too narrow to take into account schools’ wider public benefit. Independent schools have argued that they are already working in partnership with local state schools, and that the value of bursaries and financial support for poorer pupils is greater than the amount they gain in tax benefits. At the time of writing, this tribunal is approaching its conclusion at London’s High Court and we await the outcome.

Whatever the politics, perhaps the most significant way in which independent schools serve the public good is the contribution of their pupils to society when they leave. This is a vision of public benefit that goes far beyond the criteria set out by the Charity Commission, and yet it is this aspiration that lies at the heart of many an independent school.
Stonyhurst College is a Jesuit school, and a key element of the education it offers is that pupils should become ‘men and women for others’. This message is strongly reinforced by our heritage of military service, with seven of our former pupils having been awarded the Victoria Cross: their portraits act as a daily reminder to our community of our motto, Quant je puis (All that I can). These awards were made ‘for conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy’ between 1897 and 1941, in the Malakind Campaign, the battles of Omurman, the Somme and Mons, in aerial combat over northern France, at Dunkirk and Tobruk. More recently, two former pupils received honours: Major Paul Pitchfork was awarded the MC while commanding his company on operations in Afghanistan, between September 2007 and April 2008, and Captain John Bushell, who was Deputy Commander of the British Forces in Indonesia, was involved in tsunami relief operations and was awarded the Air Force Cross.
 

 

At today’s Stonyhurst, our Combined Cadet Force goes from strength to strength, with numbers of cadets rising dramatically in recent years. The boys and girls who take part each week in drills and exercises may not yet be doing anything as outstandingly courageous as their distinguished predecessors, but they will undoubtedly have gained important personal qualities and skills that may one day benefit others. Teamwork, taking the initiative, reading situations and responding appropriately to them, leadership, endurance – these are some of the benefits that immediately come to mind, not to mention the self-discipline that lies behind a pair of immaculately polished boots.

We also have a programme of voluntary service, which involves three-quarters of the lower sixth going out into the local community each week to help in schools, residential homes, a hospice, charity shops and other charitable organisations. Such service not only benefits others but is also a means of growth and experience for the volunteer. They are encouraged to reflect upon their experiences; one boy admitted that pricing donations in Oxfam was not terribly exciting but noted that the same elderly customer liked to come and chat to him each week; another volunteer found that she had to assert her presence politely in a school for autistic children by asking how she could help, the staff there being unused to delegating. This was not an easy placement but her perseverance was rewarded by a smile and a hug from the child she worked with at the end of term. Volunteers in primary schools have to find within themselves authority and leadership when working with lively, inquisitive young children.

Stonyhurst has also formed a partnership with the faith school, Everton, a Catholic and Anglican primary school in one of the most deprived areas of Britain. Volunteers from our Year 10 each act as ‘buddy’ to a particular pupil and try to be positive role models, by leading activities for the children both here, when they visit each term, and at the faith school. We have a similar partnership with a Jesuit school in Zimbabwe, in which pupils write to pen pals; each year, a small group of staff and pupils go to Zimbabwe and, this year, the Headmaster and two of his sixth-form pupils embarked upon their first visit to the UK and came to stay at Stonyhurst for a week.

Andrew Johnson read Modern Languages at Bristol University. After a brief spell in industry, he taught at Douai, a Benedictine boarding school, and was then Head of Modern Languages at Winchester College. In 2002, he took up the post of Deputy Head at Birkdale School, Sheffield, and has been Headmaster of Stonyhurst College since 2006. Andrew’s interests include travel, hill walking, music and theatre. He is married to Dawn and has two sons.