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Loretto School is latest to face threat of losing charitable status

Governance and management
One of Scotland’s oldest boarding schools, which also admits day pupils, has been told it will lose its charitable status unless it helps more children from poorer families with fees.

Loretto School, in Musselburgh, East Lothian, whose former pupils include the broadcaster Andrew Marr and former UK chancellor Alistair Darling, has 18 months to convince the regulator that it passes the test.

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) said access to the school was “unduly restricted” because of fees and therefore Loretto failed to meet the public benefit element of a viable charity. Loretto costs more than £19,000 a year for senior day pupils and up to £28,590 for boarders. Although an OSCR investigation found that 91 pupils – almost 15 per cent of the roll – received means-tested support in 2012/13, most of this was of “low value”.

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