How do we select the girls ?
Our aim is to identify bright girls from disadvantaged backgrounds; girls who hopefully have the ability to win a place at university. Understandably, demand for a sponsored place at school is high. Our selection process aims to identify the girls who truly come from financially needy families and those who we believe have the academic ability to benefit from a sponsored place. The process is managed by the Programme Manager, with the involvement of some of the local trustees:
We go to the five schools that we work with soon after the new Grade 10 girls arrive at school and ask the schools to give us a list of the girls whose families are struggling to pay the school fees.
We ask each of the girls on this list to complete an application form which tells us about their family situation.
Our Programme Manager interviews the girls and takes off the list any girls who do not seem genuinely needy.
One of our Trustees and the Programme Manager interview the short listed candidates for a second time. This time we are looking to confirm the girl's poverty and also to assess how she has settled into secondary school. Is she likely to make the most of the chance?
We make offers to the strongest 40 candidates that we see across the five schools.