Watford Fuller Foundation Annual Giving Report 2015
Introduction The Watford Fuller Foundation was established in 1997 as a charitable trust to support and develop the education of students of Watford Grammar School for Boys. One of our key objectives is to enhance the funds that the School receives from non-statutory funding sources so as to provide a State PLUS level of education; that is an education which delivers much more than the National Curriculum. Watford Grammar School for Boys has had a tremendous year and we are delighted that the Foundation has continued to flourish against a backdrop of a very difficult economic climate. The reason for our robust financial position lies in the voluntary monthly contributions made by Parents across the School. We are immensely grateful to all Parents who donate so generously to the School. Together we can ensure that Watford Grammar School for Boys continues to deliver the very best in state education, helping its students to achieve exceptional academic standards and excellence across a broad range of sporting, musical and artistic pursuits. Simon Groves Chairman Watford Fuller Foundation
Giving to the School This year we have been fortunate to receive support from many individuals from our School community, including Old Boys, parents, grandparents and companies. In terms of cash donations the Foundation received a total of 177,000 to the end of March 2014. During the year we were able to provide a capital grant of 110,000 for the redevelopment of the new Pavilion at the New Field and the Foundation is providing all of the 500,000 project cost for the additional English Block classrooms. The state-of-the-art ES Household Pavilion was officially opened in March 2015 and work on the new classrooms in the English Block is due to start in May 2015. In terms of revenue projects, the Foundation administered the Kienitz Music Bursary which financially supports students with exceptional musical ability. The total amount was 1,200.
Historical contributions Since 2009 the Watford Fuller Foundation has supported the School in the following ways: Revenue Project Grants 2009-10 270,000 Kienitz Music Bursaries, ICT, departmental resources & grounds 2010-11 86,000 Kienitz Music Bursaries, ICT, departmental resources 2011-12 53,900 Kienitz Music Bursaries, ICT, departmental resources & SEN resources 2012-13 2,200 Kienitz Music Bursaries & SEN resources 2013-14 8,000 Kienitz Music Bursaries & SEN resources 2014-15 1,000 Kienitz Music Bursaries Capital Project Grants 2009-10 1,000,000 Sixth Form Centre, Physics labs & Sports Hall refurbishment 2010-11 85,000 Canteen redevelopment & Clarendon Muse project 2011-12 100,000 Solar panel project 2012-13 152,500 Science Block refurbishment 2013-14 100,000 Main School classroom redevelopment 2014-15 610,000 ES Household Pavilion & English Block redevelopment
Building for the Future Whilst outstanding academic achievement is important, a Watford Grammar School for Boys education is also characterised by breadth of opportunity. We aim to continue to support the School s Development Plan to offer a wide range of activities and experiences and provide the right facilities for our students. We need your help to enable these ambitions to be realised. Science Sports & Classroom space Science plays a significant role in the School not just for our students but for the wider community through the School s STEM Lab partnership with Imperial College. Grant applications are currently being sought for a new STEM Centre designed to enhance connections between Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The School has grown exponentially over the years which is a sign of our success. The School is continually looking at ways of expanding classroom space and a major priority at the moment is the expansion of the classroom space in the English block. Significant funding is required to establish the Watford Grammar School for Boys STEM Centre which will comprise three floors dedicated to those disciplines. Environmental We are proud to have been able to support the installation of solar panels in 2012. The panels currently generate an annual revenue of 10,000 for the School. The School is actively developing a programme of energy saving measures which will support the environment as well as reduce costs for the School. The School also has ambitions to make better use of the cloisters area and improve the hard playground spaces. Having supported the development of the new Pavilion at the New Field, we hope to be able to support plans for a Pavilion at the main School site. ICT The School continually needs to update and upgrade its IT facilities to keep abreast of technological advances and to prepare students well for a highly sophisticated technological workplace.
Why we need your support The importance of Parental giving to the School cannot be under-estimated. It is a vital and key part of our continuing success. Parental contributions all go to the Watford Fuller Foundation. The Foundation gives money to the School to support its day-to-day operations and is one source of support when the School undertakes capital projects. The fact that we can put up money from our own resources often generates further funds from other sources. We can expect little support from public funds which rightly focus on underperformance and neglect. In the current financial climate, the government is reducing the grant that the School receives and we face the prospect of at least a 1.5% cut in real terms in the funds available to the School over the next three years. Given that the School has a turnover of around 7 million, the potential reduction is in the region of at least 105,000 per annum. The School offers excellent value for money and is consistently seeking to find new income streams through lettings, consultancy services, sponsorship and taking in as many students as possible without putting at risk the quality of the education that we deliver. If we are to maintain our position at the forefront of local and national education, then we need your continuing support through the voluntary monthly donations scheme or a one-off annual contribution. If you are a UK taxpayer then, with Gift Aid, your donations give us an extra 25p for every 1 you give. We are truly grateful to those parents who currently make regular donations. For more information please visit: www.watfordboys.org Or contact Mrs Burt on: burtl@watfordboys.org
Partnerships Watford Grammar School for Boys prides itself on developing and maintaining excellent relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders. Partnerships with many different organisations add significant benefit to the School and we aim to support the further development of these valuable links. Local schools WBGS has a strong relationship with Watford Grammar School for Girls. The two schools partner to provide some Sixth Form teaching and a range of sport, music and drama activities, as well as delivering charitable initiatives. The School also has a strong link with nearby Westfield Academy and with numerous local primary schools where additional curriculum support is provided for Key Stage Two students. In collaboration with SHINE, Watford Grammar School for Boys runs the Climbing Higher Club to help boost the attainment of students in the local community at risk of failing to achieve 5A*- C grades at GCSE. Business links Watford Grammar School for Boys has been particularly innovative in its efforts to build relationships with the business community. The School has a flourishing and expanding programme of working with businesses across a number of sectors. These links bring enormous benefits to students who gain an insight into the world of business and provide opportunities for them to bring their academic skills to bear on real business situations. Academic Links Links with universities such as Imperial College and the University of Hertfordshire and organisations such as the STEM Society enable our students to widen their academic experience. Formal partnerships, such as our affiliation to the Reach Out Lab at Imperial College and our role as hub school in the Watford Ogden Trust Partnership, provide opportunities to enrich the curriculum for all students. The Friends of the School The School attaches great importance to its strong links with parents, both individually and as a body. The parents association is known as The Friends of Watford Grammar School for Boys and supports the education of the students through a variety of fundraising activities and social events. The Friends have assisted in the provision of many facilities, including the extension to the sports hall with its fitness suite and dance studio, the Clarendon Muse, the new Sixth Form Centre, minibuses, the new Mathematics Suite, as well as funding new lockers and IT equipment. The Friends also provide direct financial assistance for clubs and societies and support School events such as parents evenings, concerts and plays throughout the year.
Thank you Trustees Simon Groves (Chairman) Len Arlow Ian Brown Tim Constable Tim Cosgrove Susan Scott Paul Shearring Watford Grammar School for Boys has only been able to develop and thrive because of the huge amount of philanthropic support it receives from its Parents group and others. Over the last three years, we have raised 750,000, including gift aid an overwhelming sum. We are enormously grateful to everyone who has pledged and donated to help us achieve this. We would like to thank everyone for their generosity. * Mark Allchorn (ex officio) Kevin Thorold (Clerk) Watford Fuller Foundation, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD18 7JF Charity no. 1062184