Best Schools - Winchester College has ambitions to fund one in 10 pupils on a full bursary by 2030, says a school s

The school has just reviewed its admissions process in a bid to improve opportunities for applicants from less privileged backgrounds.

In a statement, the school said: “Winchester College is proud of its desire to educate the most deserving pupils irrespective of financial background. This is part of a long tradition of philanthropy and a bursary fund the governing body has increased over the last 10 years.”

The school said it had “undertaken a major review of its admissions process to ensure that the practicalities of our admissions process are aligned with these aims”.

In 2017/18, 130 students were in receipt of some bursarial support – the equivalent of one in six students at the school. Bursaries range in size with the smallest covering just five percent of fees.

'New attainment gap' opening up between Scotland's state and private schools thanks to subject choice

A new attainment gap has opened up between privately-educated and poor children thanks to state schools cutting the number of exams pupils can sit, a think tank has concluded.

Reform Scotland confirmed the number of subjects state pupils can study in S4 has dropped in recent years, with a majority of schools now offering six and a few only five.

In comparison, those whose parents can afford a private education can sit up to 10 subjects, with none of the independent schools surveyed offering fewer than eight.

The think tank also discovered that state schools serving similarly wealthy areas offer eight subjects in one part of the country and only six in another.