WHAT IS OUR SCHOOL FUND?

Government funding for schools is under significant pressure. Over the past ten years we have seen a considerable reduction in the amount of money we have to invest in the facilities we provide for our students, and our ability to enrich their experience outside of the classroom.

Schools across the country have been hit by rising prices – including massive jumps in energy bills – and increasing staff costs that have not been fully funded by the government.

More than ever, we are relying on the generous voluntary donations from  parents, carers and alumnae to provide the very best for our students.

Our School Fund empowers our school community to voluntarily support our extra curricula enrichment programme, and to help improve our facilities further.

We consider this provision a key part of our vision to provide a holistic experience for our young people, which focuses on social, cultural, and emotional capital as well as high academic achievement.

Our core values are curiosity, courage and compassion. Our School Fund gives us the resources to support our students in exploring these key development areas outside of their academic studies.

PAST PROJECTS IT HAS FUNDED

Over the past few years, projects that our School Fund has supported (either funding in full or helping us go beyond the ‘basics’) include:

• A major capital investment to build the school’s sports hall, providing students with a high-quality, multipurpose facility that underpins our active and successful sports and physical education programme.

• The refurbishment of the outdoor space near the Theology and Philosophy block, creating a more pleasant external environment.

• The initial funding for a major project to rebuild our canteen and dining room, doubling the space for students to socialise in.

• Refurbishment of classrooms, IT rooms and formal Sixth Form study space to provide an environment more conducive to learning, where students can develop their independent study skills.

• Resourcing our library and providing additional enrichment opportunities, such as trampolining, gymnastics & orchestra.

FUNDING FUTURE PROJECTS

In the future, we are asking for regular voluntary donations to enable this investment to continue, as well as raise funds to support a number of new projects such as:

For the 2023/24 academic year, we are running a major fundraising campaign to upgrade four of our science laboratories in the school – ensuring they meet the high expectations of our students – particularly at A level where there is so much demand. We have already secured £25,000 for the Garfield Weston Foundation and will continue to apply to various other external funding sources. But we need to raise at least £100,000 ourselves to make the project viable.

In addition to this:

• We would like to refurbish our current Sixth Form common room to create a more welcoming space for students to socialise in during break and lunchtimes and to create an informal study space. This would include more furniture and better AV equipment.

• We would like to increase the breadth and depth of our enrichment projects, giving us the resources to employ coaches to support our students’ creativity such as visiting artists, authors and lecturers. This would also cover the costs of competitions - our students often get to regional / national finals which are often cost-prohibitive.

• If the funding bid to create a new canteen is successful, we want to upgrade the external landscaping and outdoor social space around it is. This would give us higher quality social space which will improve student wellbeing and make the school site more welcoming and friendly.

Mrs T O'Brien
Headteacher 

HOW MUCH TO DONATE?

Obviously how much you choose to donate is a personal decision and entirely voluntary. Parents often ask us how much we think is reasonable.

Some parents donate up to £50 per month via direct debit, although how much you choose to donate is entirely up to you. Every pound you give us, no matter the value, helps us deliver exciting and rewarding activities for your children.

Obviously, it makes it much easier for us to plan the usage of this investment if we receive regular donations rather than one off gifts.

WHAT IS GIFT AID?

As a member of the Girls’ Learning Trust, Wallington High School for Girls has the same status as a charity. Gift Aid allows UK charities to claim back the basic rate tax already paid on donations by the donor. This means we can claim back from the government on your behalf 25p for every £1 donated, boosting the value of the donation by a quarter.

You can find out more about Gift Aid here: www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid.

HOW TO DONATE?

Donating money to the School Fund couldn’t be easier. There are three different ways depending on your preference.

1. DIRECT DEBIT or DEBIT CARD
   (easiest for the school)

We have a set up a special online account with trusted provider PayPal, where you are able to set up both regular donations via Direct Debit and make one-off donations to the fund.

www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=29TPL42XHDQ22

Please ensure you use the reference code YEAR / TUTOR GROUP (if known) / FULL NAME OF STUDENT to help us to identify it.

2. BANK TRANSFER

We are also able to receive donations via bank transfer. Please ensure you use the reference code YEAR / TUTOR GROUP (if known) / FULL NAME OF STUDENT to help us to identify it.

Account Number: 53368060

Sort Code: 30-98-36

If you choose to donate this way, we are only able to receive Gift Aid if you complete the attached form and return it to the School Office.

3. STANDING ORDER

For those who prefer to donate via standing order, we’ve attached the forms you’ll need to complete to this information pack.

You can return these forms electronically by adding a scanned version of your signature, and then emailing this directly to us: finance@girlslearningtrust.org 

Or you can print the forms provided below and return the originals to via the School Office – where we also have hard copies already printed if that’s easier.