and academic excellence, says the chairman of the school's $2.5-million capital campaign.

Warwick Academy becomes a fully private school next year.

As well as high standards, the 332-year-old school is known for its racial mix, which closely reflects that of Bermuda as a whole.

"It is our intention to maintain that balance as near as possible to what you see now,'' said Mr. Anthony Smith, campaign chairman and a member of the board of governors.

"We were private for the first 300-some years, in the public system for the last 30 years, and now we're going back to private,'' Mr. Smith told The Royal Gazette . "But in going back to private, we're not excluding anyone who is able to pass the entrance exam and follow the curriculum at Warwick Academy.'' Bursaries drawn from interest on the $2.5-million fund would be awarded on the basis of means tests to students who qualified for entry by writing an exam, Mr. Smith said.

"You don't have to be any particular colour to be poor,'' Mr. Smith said. But he agreed that poor people in Bermuda were statistically more likely to be black than white.

Warwick Academy opted to go private rather than become a Middle School under Government's restructured school system.

It recently began a private primary school which extends from P1 to P4. Two more primary grades are to be added next year.

Mr. Smith said the bursaries would mainly be offered at the secondary level to start, because "we feel that is where the help is going to be needed.'' But bursaries could be offered at the primary level as well, to assure "a good cross-section'' of the community is attracted, he said. If there was racial imbalance at the primary level, "they are going to feed right through to the secondary level, and we'll have a problem.'' Tuition will cost about $6,000, and normally only half of that amount would be eligible for bursary support, Mr. Smith said.

To date, $1.5 million has been raised, much of it from members of the board of governors, the Warwick Academy Association, and school faculty and staff.

The campaign is scheduled to conclude in December, but Mr. Smith said fundraising will continue into next year and beyond, with a possible expansion planned.