Providing opportunities to children from disadvantaged backgrounds
This fund was established in 2012 to offer support to children from disadvantaged backgrounds who are unable to participate in wider educational enrichment trips due to financial constraints.
We believe that such educational opportunities should be provided and accessible to all children, regardless of background. Since 2012 over 30 pupils have benefited from this fund and the wider support from the Reigatian Community.
Case study
Opportunities Fund beneficiary: Karolina Csathy
Karolina has recently left RGS to take up a place at Trinity College, Cambridge to study Music. At the recent House of Commons River Terrace Reception, hosted by Crispin Blunt MP for Reigate, she performed a memorable violin solo and also gave an emotional speech highlighting the impact the bursary she received has had on her life.
“I clearly remember the first time we had a look at RGS and coming out of the library saying, “Can I come here?”. My parents and I knew this was the right place, it was just a question of how we were going to afford it. My next 7 years at RGS were only made possible by the support I received throughout.
I will always be grateful for this, because Reigate Grammar is a pretty extraordinary school and I know for me, there is no other which I could have been so excited about every morning. Throughout, I have had some simply awesome teachers who made every subject interesting for me. Although the music block became my second home and so much time was spent with musicians, I enjoyed engaging with pupils specialising in different subjects, making me a more open and enriched person. It has been a privilege to get to know some exceptional people and I am really lucky to have also made some solid friendships.”
Karolina organised a Fundraiser for the Opportunities Fund, in the hope that it would give another student the experiences it gave her.
This summer the Fund enabled me to go on the Vienna choir tour where we sung in some stunning venues, had some good laughs and where some tears were shed when it finally hit me that this was the end of my time at RGS and what an amazing time I’ve had.
“For the future I promise to continue to make the most of the opportunities available to me, because I am constantly reminded of the journey which has brought me here and realise that it began with the gift of a Reigate Grammar education.”
If you wish to discuss any aspect of the Opportunities Fund please contact Sean Davey, Development Director: spd@reigategrammar.org