Harrow School bids to raise £40m

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Harrow School is raising £40m to provide places for disadvantaged boys, as a new law threatens to strip public schools of charitable status.

Headmaster Barnaby Lenon said the "political environment" was unlikely to tolerate a school perceived as elitist.

Schools may now lose charity status if they do not provide a "public benefit".

"Bursaries are an excellent way of transforming the lives of worthwhile young people. We aim to raise £40m by 2012 for this purpose," he said.

Mr Lenon added: "In a wider context, the political environment is unlikely to tolerate a school which is only available to the sons of the very rich."

Writing in the school magazine, Harrow Record, Mr Lenon said he was not singling out the change in charity laws.

But few families "could begin to afford" Harrow School fees of £26,000 per year, he said.

"Harrow will be socially narrow if assistance cannot be given to some middle and lower income families," said Mr Lenon.

The school already provides virtually free places for 21 boys. Bursaries at Harrow range from £4,000 per year up to the value of full fees.