Christ’s Hospital Foundation

Over the centuries, the Christ’s Hospital Foundation has built up a valuable endownment through the generosity of its benefactors. The Christ’s Hospital Foundation (registered charity number 306975) looks after the endownment.

The investment returns from the endowment and linked charities are all used to support Christ’s Hospital and to cover around 60% of the school’s running costs. This means that the Christ’s Hospital Foundation’s valuable endownment is able to continue to support more than 600 bursary places (fee assisted places) at Christ’s Hospital each year. This is more bursary supported places than any other independent boarding school in the UK. The ability of the Christ’s Hospital Foundation to meet the financial needs of the School depends critically on significant funding to grow the endowment and increase investment returns, whilst ensuring that the real-term value of the endowment is protected for the future.

Short History

Christ’s Hospital (CH) is one of the famous Royal Hospitals of London, whose foundation marked the beginning of the social services in Tudor England. Inspired by a sermon by Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, the young King Edward VI instructed the Lord Mayor, Sir Richard Dobbs, to appoint a committee of leading citizens to consider remedies and relief for the City’s homeless poor. Their work, and subsequently their philanthropy, led to the founding of the five great Hospitals all supporting different needs. CH, established in the monastery of the Grey Friars in Newgate Street, embraced the task of educating and nourishing the destitute children of the City and took children of all social backgrounds and ages.

In November 1552, CH opened its doors to 380 pupils and, within a year, the number had increased to over 500. Many children, including 100 of the first 380, were infants who were sent away to CH Hertford to be looked after. When they reached 10 they returned to CH London.