THE man in charge of Eton college, traditional entry ticket to the Establishment, has said he hopes that within a decade no boy will be prevented from going there by lack of money.

Sir Eric Anderson, who as Eton’s provost is head of the college’s governing body, has stated the ambition as part of a multi-million-pound fundraising drive.

Only a handful of independent schools aim to fund enough bursaries for “needs-blind” admissions, among them St Paul’s school in southwest London.

For Eton to reach such a goal would require hundreds of millions of pounds. The 10-year timeframe is even more ambitious than that of St Paul’s, which aims to reach needs-blind status by raising at least £200m in 30 years. Both schools have so far raised more than £25m.

Only the wealthiest institutions, with wide networks of former pupils in highly paid jobs, have a realistic chance of raising the necessary endowment to fund bursaries for any pupil who needs them.

Independent schools are under pressure from the Charity Commission to provide more bursaries because of laws passed by Labour that oblige them to demonstrate they provide “public benefit” to justify charitable status.

The commission is expected to publish the final version of its criteria for public benefit before Christmas.

Eton, where fees are more than £28,000 a year, has previously said it will use donations to increase bursaries so at least 35%-40% of pupils receive financial help.

Anderson, who was Tony Blair’s housemaster at Fettes college, Edinburgh, wrote in a magazine sent to former pupils: “I hope you will all help Eton raise enough money over the next decade to ensure that any boy the school would like to have and who would like to come here will not be debarred for lack of money.”

He was careful to reassure old boys – the school’s key donors – that any change in its social profile would not harm their sons’ chances of getting in. “The blend of boys from old Eton families with boys from families new to Eton has been one secret of the school’s dynamism,” wrote Anderson.

Tony Little, Eton’s head master, emphasised that the 10-year goal set by Anderson, who retires in January, was “aspirational” rather than school policy, and “a farewell flourish to rally the troops”.

The school’s appeal target of £50m would have to be increased sharply to fund needs-blind admission.

The comments by Anderson, 72, will carry weight, however. He is one of the best-connected figures in British education. In addition to being Blair’s housemaster, he taught the Prince of Wales at Gordonstoun in Moray and was head master of Eton when David Cameron, the Tory leader, was a pupil.

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