The Millfield way

Millfield School in Street, Somerset, continues to blaze a trail when it comes to offering financial assistance to exceptionally talented children. Families who simply cannot afford to pay independent school fees are given that very chance at Millfield, with a wealth of scholarships and bursaries available to make it possible. Looking back at the history of the school, it is a tradition that has long been central to the ethos of Millfield.
Not even legendary founder, Jack ‘Boss’ Meyer, could have foreseen the rapid growth the school would experience in his lifetime and beyond. When he and his wife moved from India to Street in the summer of 1935, they brought with them the three sons of his employer, the Maharaja, three other princes and one commoner, the son of the Maharaja’s chief Minister. Upon Meyer’s retirement in 1970, more than 1000 pupils from many different backgrounds were being educated at Millfield. It had been a remarkable journey for an exceptional man who, from the school’s humble beginnings harboured radical new ideas on how a school should run.

The year 1935 almost saw the school opening and closing its doors in quick succession. When the Maharaja decided to withdraw his sons, one of the princes and the lone commoner, Boss accepted the offer of a headship in India. However, he was under contract regarding the remaining two Princes’ education, and, after insistence from his family that he should stay, an opportune draft for a large sum of money from his father-in-law tipped the scales. Mill Field, as it was then called, would keep on going.

As word spread of these developments, young scholars came to enquire about the School. By the end of 1936 pupil numbers grew to 12 and Meyer had employed four part-time members of staff. Although he couldn’t afford to be selective at this point, Boss insisted on discussing with the parents what he felt they could do to help their children, once he had interviewed the pupils and studied their scholastic record. When interviewing the children, his style was relaxed, informal; he knew how to put interviewees at ease to help them discuss their ideas and hopes which, needless to say, often contradicted those of the parents.

Meyer’s ethos was frequently at odds with the authorities. He would insist on every pupil taking an Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test, which would only be disclosed to the pupil’s tutors, helping them with their examination predictions and discovering where their strengths lay. Academically gifted pupils were also encouraged to take exams at an age well below average to prepare them for the real test in a year or two’s time. Occasional disapproval from the ministries and universities did not stop the school from flourishing and Boss was soon able to offer financial support to a greater number of academic high-fliers. The school worked with MENSA and other organisations to bring gifted children trapped in the wrong educational environment to Millfield with the requisite financial assistance. Sporting excellence was also greatly encouraged by similar scholarships. Such luminaries as Olympic swimming gold medallist Duncan Goodhew and Welsh rugby captain Gareth Edwards would forge a path through Millfield School thanks to the financial assistance offered to them, in turn prompting a large number of applications from hopeful parents with talented children hoping to follow in their footsteps.

Millfield holds a proud tradition of not being academically selective and enjoys an excellent reputation in the field of dyslexia. Those with learning difficulties were never excluded. In 1942, Martin Attlee, son of the then deputy Prime Minister, Clement Attlee, came to Millfield hoping to overcome ‘word blindness’. So successful was the Millfield way that Martin went on to attend university.

Today there are 1260 pupils at Millfield School, making it the largest co-educational boarding school in the country. There is a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:7.5 and an average class size of 11, allowing for excellent personal care and individual attention, and a superb roster of dedicated coaches in a wide range of sports. The campus has grown enormously and can now offer such world-class facilities as an Olympic 50 metre swimming pool, a state-of-the-art riding school, a brand new music school housing a 350-seat concert hall and an award-winning library.

Academic, Art, Music and Sport scholarships are awarded annually to candidates who are exceptionally talented in any one of these disciplines. All-Rounder scholarships are also available to those who exhibit well above average academic ability plus another ability in the areas mentioned above. One chess scholarship is available each year: this year’s recipient has been awarded a 50% scholarship worth around £65,000 over five years. Bursaries are given to those who still find the fees too much after scholarship.

Attending the School is not all about working on one specific talent though. Millfield believes that education should open doors, not close them by premature specialisation. Up to the age of 16, every pupil receives a sound education in both Arts and Sciences and an unrivalled choice of subjects for GCSE and AS/A2 level is available. A BTEC qualification in Art and Design and the Vocational Certificate of Education (Advanced) in Leisure and Recreation are also offered. On top of this, Millfield pupils have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, perform in one of the many school plays and represent the School in one of the many sports Millfield partake in.

Jack Meyer’s vision challenged conventional wisdom of the time and demanded a radical reassessment of traditional provision. The curriculum was uniquely broad, staff numbers were generous and teaching was geared towards the individual. Every Headmaster that has followed in Boss’s footsteps has continued to work by the same ethos: to nurture the talent in everyone and make sure every pupil leaves Millfield ready for the challenges ahead of them.

John McGlone works in the Millfield marketing department.