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:

• We are looking to match some external bid funding with school fund donations in order to double the amount of science laboratories we can improve and give us the best shot possible at securing the external funding, whilst also ensuring our provision meets our high expectations and increasing demands.

• 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. 

 

• We would like to increase the breadth & depth of our enrichment projects, to employ coaches to support our students’ creativity such as visiting artists, authors and lecturers. This would also cover the costs of any regional/national competitions our students may reach.

• If the funding bid to create a new canteen is successful, we want to upgrade the external landscaping and outdoor social space around it to provide another higher quality social space.

Mrs C Godyn
Deputy Headteacher (Acting 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.

Most parents donate £50 per month via direct debit, although some choose to donate more – it’s 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 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. 

 

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.