Michael Gove's old school battles trust's bid to slash bursaries

A prestigious private school attended by former Cabinet minister Michael Gove is taking legal action against a proposed cut to its bursary funding.

Aberdeen Endowments Trust (AET) applied to redirect cash earmarked for Robert Gordon’s College (RGC) towards state schools and charities in September.

The college, a 300-year-old private school with fees of up to £21,000 a year, is taking the trust to court over the plans, a source close to the school told the Mail.

AET funds free places for more than 30 pupils at the school from families earning less than £80,000.

RGC historically received the majority of AET’s funding, but the proposals would see its share cut to 70 per cent over the next five years and a minimum of 49 per cent afterwards.

A spokesman for the school said: ‘I can confirm that Robert Gordon’s College has a longstanding association with Aberdeen Endowments Trust. As the trust’s primary beneficiary, RGC offers transformational bursaries to talented pupils who would otherwise not be able to attend the College.

‘The trustees of AET are proposing changes to the organisation’s governance and constitutional structures which would significantly reduce RGC’s ability to offer these bursaries. 

'In response, the governors of RGC are considering all avenues to protect the college’s existing rights and interests, so that we can continue to widen access for learners across the north east of Scotland.’

Trustees of the charity say a reorganisation would allow capital spending and widen support to pupils across north-east Scotland.

A spokesman said: 'The goal of Aberdeen Endowments Trust is to distribute funds to support educational opportunities for children, young people, and adults across Aberdeen.

'Throughout our history, we have had a close association with Robert Gordon’s College. We have provided bursaries to help many pupils attend the college, and we look forward to continuing that relationship.

'We are committed to adhering to the regulatory process with OSCR, and until the outcome of our application to OSCR is confirmed, we are unable to comment further.'

The charity watchdog added: ‘OSCR was recently made aware that court proceedings are ongoing. As we are not involved in those proceedings, we are not in a position to comment on them.’

Former Westminster Education Secretary Michael Gove was a pupil at Robert Gordon’s on a scholarship in the 1970s. 

Other alumni include the late Aberdeen oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood whose memorial service was held there yesterday, former Scotland captain Martin Buchan and Ian Frazer, the immunologist who invented the HPV vaccine.