School Fundraising for Science Labs
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 alumni 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.
CURRENT FUNDRAISING
We are currently fundraising to refurbish some of our oldest science laboratories.
Science subjects are our most popular at A level, with 235 studying A level Biology, 274 studying A level Chemistry and 94 girls studying A level Physics this year. This equates to 71% of the young women in our large Sixth Form opting to study at least one science subject.
We are currently wish to:-
- Refurbish one of our oldest and lowest quality laboratories, infusing it with inspiration so that it sparks a love of Chemistry in future students. This includes new furniture, equipment, and redecoration.
- Reconfigure and refurbish three of our currently unsuitable laboratories, making them better equipped to handle the variety of practical work required in A level Chemistry, GCSE and KS3 science, while also supporting teachers in engaging students in the theoretical aspects of the subject.
We have already fundraised c£100k through donations this year and have been successful in our application to the Garfield Weston Foundation for a £26,000 contribution.
This means we need to fundraise another £130,000 to deliver the project.
HOW CAN I DONATE?
Donating money to the School Fund couldn’t be easier. There are three different ways depending on your preference.
DIRECT DEBIT or DEBIT CARD
(easiest for the school)
We have set up a special donation page with our trusted provider ParentPay where you can make a one-off card payment.
https://app.parentpay.com/ParentPayShop/Foc/Default.aspx?shopid=15025
Please ensure you use the reference code YEAR / TUTOR GROUP (if known) / FULL NAME OF STUDENT to help us to identify your payment.
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 the payment.
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 gift aid form below and return it to the School Office.
STANDING ORDER
For those who prefer to make a regular donation via standing order, we’ve attached the forms below that you will need to complete.
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.
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.