150 Foundation

What is the 150 Foundation?

The 150 Foundation was founded in 2024, in the year of the school’s 150th anniversary. The foundation came about after an ex-pupil, Mary Mogford, contacted the school about setting up an annual bursary to help support sixth form students in their studies or in their next steps.

The aim of the bursary is to provide a bit of extra financial support and encouragement to give the recipient an enhanced opportunity to maximise their outcomes. The bursary helps to provide resources, equipment and opportunities.

What is the bursary, and what is it for?

The bursary will take the form of payment to the recipient of between £500 and £1000, either as a single payment or instalments across the academic year.

The bursary can be used to buy study resources such as a laptop or textbooks, or it could help to pay towards travel costs for interviews and open days at universities. In some cases, the bursary could mean that a student does not need to work so many hours at their part-time job and can, instead, concentrate on their studies.

The use of the bursary is down to the individual.

Who are our patrons?

Mary Mogford attended PHSG from 1955 to 1962.

I do know that my years at PHS gave me a grounding for a full, productive and rounded life. And I know how lucky I am that the values I learnt from my parents and from my formative years at PHS helped me to develop into the person I am today. It is my hope that The 150th Foundation will help others on their life journey, building on the experience and values they have gained from their PHSG years.

Mary has held many important roles across various organisations, including Deputy Minister of Finance and Deputy Minister of Natural Resources for Ontario. Her corporate directorships included: Credit Suisse Canada; Falconbridge; Empire Company; MDS; PotashCorp; Midland Walwyn; and Sears Canada.

She was also an active member of many not-for-profit boards including SickKids; Trent University; the Economic Council of Canada; and the Toronto Symphony Foundation.

In 2016, Mary and Tom, established The Mogford Campbell Family Chair in Paediatric Clinical Neuroscience at SickKids Hospital.

She is now very active in advocacy and support for Dying With Dignity Canada, MAiDHouse and SickKids.

Jane Ritchie attended PHSG from 1955 to 1962.

My wish is to contribute to the bursary scheme, in gratitude for the very fine education I received from PHSG throughout the 7 years I was there.

Jane is a psychologist. She spent her career in social and public policy research, working first for central government and then at the National Centre for Social Research. She was highly influential in promoting the use of qualitative methods in informing the development of contemporary social policy and theory. She is an author of a widely used text book on qualitative research practice.

Jane is very pleased to be supporting the 150 Foundation because of the aims that it has. She set up and chaired a similar initiative to provide bursaries for young people entering theatrical careers. The opportunities these opened up were greatly appreciated and very influential in the outcomes achieved.

Application process

Students can apply for a bursary from the foundation by completing a pen portrait.

The pen portrait provides information about the student and how they wish to spend the bursary and, more importantly, how this will support them with their education or next steps.

All applicants will receive feedback on their application.

Decision process

All pen portraits will be reviewed by a panel.

The panel that makes the decision on who will receive the bursary is made up of the Senior Team here at PHSG, alongside a governor and Miss Shellie Joynes, (a teacher at the school and a PHSG ex-student). Shellie Joynes also works very closely with our Alumni

The panel will review the pen portraits and weighting will be given in the following categories:

Quality of the supporting statements

If the student is the first generation to go ot university from their family

In receipt of Free School Meals

Qualifies as Pupil Premium

Has a SEND need

The panel's decision on who receives the bursaries each year is final and is not open to appeal.

Beneficiaries

2024

Isobel H

Year 12 was definitely a big step up from GCSE’s and a new way of going about revising and learning at home was needed. As you know, I decided to use my bursary on a laptop so I could retrieve information and materials easily when studying at home. I purchased a laptop quite some time after receiving the bursary. However, I was a bit picky about what laptop to buy as I wanted to ensure it would last me through to university! My grades weren’t the best I could’ve achieved before having the laptop, as I was struggling to revise at home as a lot of the work I was set was to be completed digitally, so I spent my time in school completing these assignments. However, now that I have the means to complete these at home, I have seen an improvement in productivity and my grades. I have been able to plan out my time easily, not having to stress and try to cram my work into school time. This has benefited me wholey and I’m very grateful to have it as it will definitely help me through year 13, especially when I have study leave, where most of the work I will be doing is at home.

Bailey C

With most of the remaining of my money, I have followed my plans from the last update. I purchased a new laptop which I have found to be beneficial to me in my Geography Coursework, which makes up 20% of my grade for that subject. Since my previous update, I have changed one of my subjects – swapping history for an AS level in psychology. For this, I have set some money aside to purchase some revision guides and textbooks, once I can find some cheap second-hand materials. After that, there is some money left over that I would like to spend on 2 more university visits – Southampton and Cardiff.

I am so grateful for this bursary. It has made my studies in year 12 much easier. Since I was able to revision guides, I performed much better than i expected in my end of year exams. Furthermore, not needing to work has also reduced my stress and worries about school. Overall, I have gained a lot from the 150 Foundation.

Pen portraits shared online

2025

TBC

Want to get involved and support the foundation?

To contribute to the foundation, please complete this form below.

150 Foundation Bursary Donation Form

Payment information:

Here are the BACS details to make your donation

Account Name: THE THINKING SCHOOL
Account Number: 11645881
Sort Code: 60-17-36

Payment Reference Information : 150 FOUNDATION BURSARY

If you would like to pay by cheque, please make the cheque payable to THE THINKING SCHOOL