Foundation Impact Report March 2020

FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT

MARCH 2020

It is Thursday morning and having just walked through the Murray Centre, I am left wondering how we managed without it!

Girls are studying in the Library; two individual tutorials are taking place in the Coffee shop; Lower School Assembly has just finished; and a group of Lower Fifth are working together on a presentation in the collaboration space. This development, at the heart of our site, has been transformational and really provides a wonderful focal point for the community. What makes it more special is that it was achieved because so many members of our community contributed to its completion. My sincere thanks to our most generous donors and sponsors without whom it simply would not have been possible.

Maintaining high standards of boarding accommodation has continued to be a high priority over the last year with Aisholt and AGS being refurbished. This programme will continue next year with AGN next on the list. Significant strides in the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning have also been made and the School is one of only fifty UK schools to be awarded the Microsoft Showcase status for its excellence in this area. DH LINKS, run by the Foundation

Office, continues to support girls to prepare for life beyond the School through the provision of career networking opportunities, talks and internships.

In short, the Foundation has not been resting on its laurels! Much has been achieved but there is of course no room for complacency and plans for the next phase of our future development are being formulated and refined. Increasing our bursary provision, developing the range of community outreach and engagement opportunities, as well as further developing our classroom, technology and specialist facilities will all be priorities in the coming years. None of the above would have happened without so much support from our parents –present and past, our pupils, staff, alumnae, governors and trustees. We are extremely fortunate to have such active support and such high levels of engagement. To all, we owe a great debt of gratitude for what has been achieved and what I know will be achieved. Thank you.

Mrs Emma McKendrick Headmistress

“Maintaining high standards of boarding accommodation has continued to be a high priority over the last year with Aisholt and AGS being refurbished.”

OUR FUTURE VISION SUPPORTING AND CONNECTING THE DOWNE HOUSE COMMUNITY

PURPOSE OF THE FOUNDATION

The Foundation was established as a separate charity in 2014 to support Downe House in the advancement of its educational objectives by providing additional funding for capital projects and bursaries through direct fundraising from the School’s supporters.

OUR AIMS

{ To continue to provide high quality facilities and education opportunities in an attractive setting

{ To support and inspire teaching and learning

{ To enable pupils to play a full and positive part in the global world as outstanding young women of the future

{ To widen access to a Downe House education

Foundation Office team: Clockwise from far left: Lady Peto, Foundation Administrator; Mrs Alexandra Barlow, Alumnae Relations Manager and DH LINKS Coordinator; Miss Chloe Donaldson, Assistant Housemistress (AGS) and DH LINKS Coordinator; Mrs Alison Ilott, Fundraising Manager; Mrs Michelle Scott, Assistant Headmistress (Foundation); Mrs Elaine Hamisi, Foundation Office Assistant.

VISION

Just over a year ago, we very proudly opened the doors for the first time to the Murray Centre. Standing gloriously at the centre of the School site, we now have undoubtedly the most transformational building in Downe’s history.

What began as an idea for an Academic Centre almost ten years ago, through the work of the governors, staff, parents, alumnae, trustees, and most importantly, the pupils, the concept for the Murray Centre took shape.

As one of the most fundamental elements of the Ten Year Vision, the Murray Centre was conceived to provide current and future generations of Downe House pupils and staff with an inspirational and innovative place to learn and enjoy boarding school life through enrichment, study and social opportunities.

The Murray Centre campaign was the most ambitious fundraising project that Downe House had ever embarked on. With firm financial commitment from the Governing Body, the Foundation set out to raise a significant proportion of the total build cost. I am so pleased to say that since 2014, the Downe House Foundation has raised in excess of £4million towards our various funds, with the majority of donations directed towards the completion of the Murray Centre.

Alongside the major capital campaign raising funds for the Murray Centre, the Foundation has continued its

work to secure funds for bursaries, the Leavers’ Gift and our Palmer Society legacy programme. Our fundraising efforts are complemented by our extensive alumnae programme, which supports our girls beyond Downe House through social and professional networking opportunities.

Our professional networking platform, DH LINKS, continues to evolve and thrive. Together with our reunions throughout the year, it gives us every reason to be proud of, and grateful to, our inspirational and hugely supportive alumnae community.

As we now enter the next phase of significant fundraising for the School through our Bursary and Ridge campaigns, it prompts me to reflect on the wonderful support the Foundation has received over the past five years. I am immensely grateful to all who have taken the time to learn about the work of the Foundation, to those who have attended our events, supported our fundraising efforts and have given back to the School through our events and DH LINKS programmes.

As a community, it certainly feels as though we are building the future of Downe House together and continue to aspire to be the very best school, here and now, and for many generations to come.

Mrs Michelle Scott Assistant Headmistress (Foundation)

“As a community, it certainly feels as though we are building the future of Downe House together and continue to aspire to be the very best school, here and now, and for many generations to come.”

FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHTS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

We warmly thank the many current and past parents, alumnae and friends of Downe House who, through their donations and generous support of the Foundation, have enabled our fundraising revenues to grow over the past five years.

These gifts have provided the funding which has allowed the Foundation to achieve its goal of supporting long-term investments in the School’s buildings and infrastructure as well as widening access to a Downe House education for ambitious and deserving girls.

Over the past five years £16million has been invested in the School campus

Supported by a fundraising income of £3.85million from 571 donations

MURRAY CENTRE FUNDRAISING

100% ACHIEVED

Your sponsorship funded

China Auditorium

275 seats paving stones &

5 communal spaces

Landscaping

Audio-visual equipment

BURSARIES

Supporting27 girls onbursaries

7 gi

£3.5 million

TARGET

learning spaces

Three staff offices

20 digital & learning resource packs

LEAVERS’ GIFT

DONATIONS

£2.8 million

...over the past four years

£72,000

spent on bursaries over five years

rlsreceived 100%bursaries

has been donated to support bursaries, improvements to Sixth Form Houses and the Murray Centre

MURRAY CENTRE THE HEART OF DOWNE HOUSE

We extend our gratitude to all our donors who have been fundamental in the creation of this wonderful new space.

The Murray Centre is the most significant new building project that the School has undertaken in its history with the rationale that it should touch and transform every girl’s education. A year on and it is hard to remember what school life was like before the opening of the Murray Centre; it has already become an integral part of the School and is enjoyed by all members of the Downe House community in such a wide variety of ways.

It is the flexibility and design of the Murray Centre that has made it such an accommodating space. Of course, the state-of-the-art auditorium has provided a wonderful new venue for lectures, workshops and performances; And the well resourced library is the perfect place for research and study. But it is the social spaces and the collaborative working areas which have been embraced with such excitement and enthusiasm bringing staff and girls together for a tutorial, a meeting, discussion or just to relax over a hot drink. The Murray Centre is at the heart of the School and has enriched our community.

We will always be hugely grateful to all those who donated to our ‘Centre for Learning’ Appeal, without whom the Murray Centre would have remained simply a dream.

Hope, Lower Fourth

The Murray Centre café has served

44,000 hot drinks

24,000

4,000 pieces of cake cold drinks

In a sustainable building

metres of PV solar panels provide 100% of the building’s energy requirements of the facades consist of well insulated glass panels which flood the building with natural light and warmth High-tech natural ventilation system and energy-efficient underfloor heating

A space for the whole community

“It is so nice to have a multipurpose space where everyone is welcome; you can sit down and work or even play games and meet up with friends”

“The Murray Centre is an amazing place and has helped me with my work. I love doing my prep in there with a hot drink and it has brought Downe House alive.”

A transformational space

104 lectures

71 academic workshops & activities

4 &

36

study days & conferences

20%

of all events open to wider community

In the first year since opening, the Murray Centre has hosted art photography exhibitions

371 lessons

30 performances

60 extracurricular dance lessons

assemblies

53

Iona, Remove

TEN YEAR VISION THE NEXT PHASE

THE RIDGE DEVELOPMENT

It is our aim to ensure that Downe House moves forward and remains at the forefront of boarding education. It is also our hope and aspiration that Downe House should, as our Founder intended, continue to be a thriving community so that the girls benefit from strong parental involvement, the support of our alumnae and, of course, the highest calibre of staff.

The Ten Year Vision Fund supports significant capital projects such as the Murray Centre and soon The Ridge development, together with smaller strategic projects such as the recent and ongoing refurbishment of the boarding houses and improvements to the landscaping of the School site.

The Downe House campus has continued to evolve and whilst buildings do not define the School, they certainly contribute an immeasurable amount to life at Downe House. The ways in which we teach and learn are also evolving fast. We are now looking to create an architecturally inspiring learning space encompassing the latest technologies to support the most up to date and effective teaching methods. Completion of The Ridge development will allow us to unlock areas of the site which will provide more immediate space for Art and Design and Technology.

The Ridge development aims to encompass two needs of Downe House through the creation of:

{ A new Music School offering significant improvements to the facilities for our talented musicians and staff, including a dedicated performance space

{ A new facility for Maths teaching and learning, creating a technology-driven learning hub for this core subject

‘We are now looking to create an architecturally inspiring learning space encompassing the latest technologies.’

These images reflect the initial concept design for The Ridge development

OUR MISSION TO WIDEN ACCESS TO A DOWNE HOUSE

Our aim is to increase the number of Bursary Awards that Downe House can offer each year.

We know that bursaries can transform the lives of talented and ambitious girls who do not have the means to come to Downe House without financial support, but who have the potential to benefit enormously from the education we have to offer. We believe that increasing the number of Bursary Awards will enrich the diversity of our community, raise academic excellence and foster a philanthropic culture. Increasing our bursary provision will therefore benefit both the individual recipients of the Awards and the entire School community.

Bursaries at a glance...

11 bursaries of 75% - 110% each year

+7

Our aim is to endow an additional seven full transformational bursaries

27 girls on bursaries across the School £1.1m

£2.8m awarded in bursaries over the past five years endows a named bursary in perpetuity

EDUCATION

SUPPORT THE BURSARY APPEAL

Over the next seven years, we have an ambitious plan to double the number of girls receiving fully funded Bursary Awards. To do this, we aim to raise

£7million over 7 years

to enable our Olive Willis Trust endowment fund to support this ambition in perpetuity.

Widening access

This year will see us launching our new bursaries programme. Ultimately, we aim to offer additional 11+, 13+ and Sixth Form bursaries, providing means-tested funding for talented and financially deserving pupils. You can support our bursary programme with a one-off donation or a regular gift.

Illustrating the power of regular giving

50 donors giving £50 per month over 2 years will fund a Sixth Form day place

100 donors giving £100 per term over 7 years will fund an 11+ day place

60 donors giving £225 per term over 5 years will fund a 13+ boarding place

INNOVATE, CONNECT, ONLINE DH LINKS

DH LINKS brings the global community of alumnae, parents and girls together online and in person through an innovative programme of events.

As well as regular alumnae reunions, DH LINKS organises a series of talks and workshops by alumnae and parents who provide a broad and rich resource of professional experience. Girls gain an insight into different careers and are offered mentoring, work experience and networking opportunities to give them a headstart and a guiding hand on their journey beyond Downe House.

DH LINKS in numbers

In touch with

alumnae 3000

members on LinkedIn in 9 sub-groups

5 careers events

15 networking events

500 active alumnae parent mentors and ambassadors

mentoring matches

20% of current parents actively involved

200

1 in7 enquiries in 2019

Supported by alumnae since launch

Innovation Programme work shadowing placements in 2020

DH LINKS organises:

{ A bespoke online database which enables alumnae to find and stay in touch with each other online

{ A regular alumnae e-magazine keeping everyone up to date with news from alumnae and the School

{ Opportunities for alumnae to come back to School to talk about their career path and give individual guidance and advice to inspire girls

{ Professional networking events by sector bringing parents and alumnae together with girls

{ Regular reunions to give year groups the opportunity to come together and catch up with each other

To get involved with providing careers advice or to offer workplace opportunities for current girls, please contact:

Mrs Alexandra Barlow

DH LINKS Coordinator and Alumnae Relations Manager

Email: barlowa@downehouse.net

WHY DO WE NEED TO FUNDRAISE?

The Downe House Governors are committed to reinvest funds back into the School to ensure that the excellent standards of teaching, pastoral care and facilities are maintained.

Each year, the Governors re-invest into the School’s planned capital expenditure programme. This includes regular capital expenditure such as IT equipment as well as planned rolling capital projects such as the refurbishment of boarding houses and the landscaping of the School campus.

Downe House does not have significant endowments, and in line with our aim to minimise fee increases, the Foundation fundraising activity provides extra income to support the development of outstanding facilities for our community, an enhanced capacity to offer Bursary places and to fulfil the School’s overall vision for the future.

DOWNE HOUSE SCHOOL INCOME ALLOCATION: 1 SEPTEMBER 2018 – 31 AUGUST 2019

Support departments

12% 6% 8%

8%

Academic costs 6%

42%

Non 16

Governance and Management

We would like to extend our thanks to our Trustees for the dedicated time, expertise and commitment they have offered to the Foundation over the past five years.

Downe House Foundation Trustees 2014 - 2019

Ms Fru Hazlitt (Chair)

Mrs Philippa Armitage

Mr Nigel Fenn

Mr James Hanbury

Mr Nicholas Hornby

“... a school must always be in a transition state, never completely organised or fully equipped and therefore never perfect, but always growing and finding fresh incentives to progress.”

Olive Willis, Founder of Downe House

WAYS TO GIVE

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT US

All donations, no matter how large or small, are hugely valued by the School and make a significant contribution towards our goals.

One-off gifts

Please complete the Donation Form which you will find attached to the back cover. If you are a current parent, you can ask to have the donation added to your next School bill or alternatively, you can arrange a bank transfer using our bank details which can be found on the Donation Form. If you would like to pay by cheque –please make it payable to ‘Downe House Foundation’ and send it with the form to: Foundation Office, Downe House School, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9JJ

Regular giving

Regular giving (each month, term or year) allows donors to give generously but with a reduced impact on their finances. It also provides a steady and predictable stream of income which can be particularly beneficial for the bursary programme.

Overseas giving

International donors can contribute to our fundraising efforts by completing an international bank transfer. Donors in the US can also make tax-efficient gifts through the British Schools and Universities Foundation.

Leaving a gift in your will

Deciding to leave a gift to Downe House in your will is a very important step and a legacy is the gift of an education. A will is a very personal matter and we of course understand if you would prefer to keep your intentions private. However, it can also be useful for the School to know of your plans, as it will help us plan our future developments based on particular interests. We would be very happy to talk to you privately about how your bequest could benefit the School.

Gift Aid

We encourage any UK taxpayers to use the Gift Aid scheme at no extra cost. Gift Aid is one of the easiest ways to make your donation tax effective. If you are a UK taxpayer, £25 for every £100 you give will be added onto your gift at no cost to yourself, simply by ticking the Gift Aid box on the Donation Form. If you pay income tax at the higher rate, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return if you want to receive the additional tax relief due to you.

To discuss making a donation to the Foundation, please contact us.

Mrs Michelle Scott Assistant Headmistress (Foundation)

Email: scottm@downehouse.net

Tel: 01635 204719

Mrs Alison Ilott

Fundraising Manager

Email: ilotta@downehouse.net

Tel: 01635 204719

All gifts received go to the Downe House Foundation which operates as a distinct charity. Registered Charity Number 1159259.

We are enormously grateful to every one of our donors for their generous support of the Downe House Foundation in every way. Their generosity has enabled the School to keep moving forwards and made the Ten Year Vision a reality. Thankyou.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORT

We wouldn’t be where we are today without you.

Mr and Mrs G Aarons

Mr A Adedeji

Mr and Dr A Adeniji

Mr and Mrs I Adepoju

Mr and Mrs O Agusto

Ms M Akhtar

Mrs P Armitage

Mr and Mrs D Armstrong

Ms S Ashworth

Mr and Mrs S Assani

Mrs Y Awobo-Pearse

Mr and Mrs S Barber

Ms J Bateman

Duke and Duchess of Bedford

Mrs P Bell

Mr and Mrs C Benigni

Ms A Berry-Camrose

Ms S Bessant

Mrs I Bevan

Mrs P Bhanarai

Mr and Mrs C Bischoff

Mr C Bishop

Mr and Mrs M Black

Mrs C Bonham-Carter

Ms L Bonsor

The Hon E Boscawen

Mr and Mrs T Boucher

Ms J Brabyn

Miss A Brown

Mrs E Brown

Mr and Mrs J Bugeja

Mrs C Burke

Mrs P Burns

Ms I Burrell

Miss V Byrom-Taylor

Ms J Caiger-Smith

Mrs F Campbell

Ms M Carmen Beltran

Mr and Mrs J Carruthers

Mrs C Chan

Captain and Mrs E Chansue

Mr J Chapman

Mr and Mrs P Dubens

Mrs Y Chen

Mr P Cheung

Ms M Cheung (Ip)

Ms M Chi

Mrs G Chikelu-Iguh

Mrs G Choi

Mr and Mrs Choi-Kelly

Mr and Mrs Christov-Peneva

Miss N Chuankajornpong

Miss E Clark

Mr and Mrs J Clark

Ms E Clarkson-Webb

Ms C Clouting

Mr M Cole-Fontayn

Mrs S Cooke

Mrs A Corbett

Mrs C Coulson

Mr and Mrs M Cox

Mr S Creedy-Smith

Mr N Cremin

Mr G Crewdson

Lady Cunningham

Mrs R Cunningham-Day

Mrs K Dale

Mrs A Davies

Ms F Dawnay

Mr J de Broe-Ferguson

Mrs G De Castella

Miss N De Gama-Rose

Mr and Mrs X Debray

Ms C Dixon

Mr and Mrs T Dodd-Noble

Mr and Mrs D Dolbear

Mr and Mrs T Douglas-Home

Mrs R Drummond

Mr C Duckworth

Ms G Duerck

Mr and Mrs G Dunlop

Mr and Mrs J Dyer

ERS

Mr E Ebimami

Mrs N El Nahas

Mr and Mrs J Elliot

Chief and Dr I Emenike

Mrs R Emery

Mr and Mrs C Evans

Mr J Evans

Mr R Evans

Mrs V Exelby

Mr M Faber

Mr and Mrs Fang

Mr and Mrs A Fanshawe

Mr and Mrs E Farquhar

Mrs D Feather

Mr N Fenn

Mrs L Fielding Brown

Mr and Mrs R Fleming

Mr and Mrs H Folawiyo

Mrs G Ford

Mr S Fowler

Ms S Francis

Mrs C Franklin

Mr J Friedlander

Mr J Garvin

Mr Li and Ms Ge

Mr and Mrs S Geddes

Mr J Gibbs

Mr and Mrs A Glover

Mr S Grafftey-Smith

Mr J Graham

Mrs J Grant Peterkin

Mr N Green

Mr and Mrs P Griffith

Mrs K Hack

Mrs E Hackman

Mr and Mrs G Hall

Mrs L Hall

Ms A Hallaran

The Hon Mrs C Hamilton

Mr J Hammond

Mr J Hanbury

Mr T Harrabin

Mrs S Harries

Mr H Harries

Mrs C Harrison

Mrs N Hayward-Cole

Ms F Hazlitt

Mr and Mrs M Healey

Mr J Hewitson

Mr and Mrs T Higgins

Mrs C Hill

Mr and Mrs S Hinds

Dr K Ho

Mrs V Hoare Nairne

Mrs F Holmes

Mr and Mrs F Horn

Mr N Hornby

Mrs J Horner

Mr B Huby

Mr P Hudson

Mrs N Hulbert

Mr T Hunt

Mr J Ide

Mr and Mrs A Inglis

Mr Q Ings-Chambers

Ms F Jacobson

Mr A Jardine

Mrs D Jeng

Mr S Jinj

Mrs H John

Mr C Kandel

Mr and Mrs M Kandrac

Mr J and The Hon Mrs Kane

Mr and Mrs B Karoly

Mr M Kelly

Mrs C Kenny

Ms R Kilachand

Mr and Mrs M Kirk

Mr and Mrs P Kirkby

Dr M Kurtser

Mr T Kwok

Mr E Kwong

Mrs S Laidlaw

Ms V Lam

Mr and Mrs O Lamikanra

Mr and Mrs W Landale

Mr O Larminie

Ms J Le Grice

Mr W Ledger

Mrs A Lee

Mrs G Leigh

Mr and Mrs Li

Ms L Li

Ms J Li

Mr and Mrs S Liang

Ms E Liu

Mrs P Lockwood

Mrs C Lowe

Mr F Lui

MS K Lynch

Mrs C Mactaggart

Mrs M Male and Family

Mr and Mrs R Manners

Mr P Marchand

Ms M Marshall

Lord Massey

Mr R Matthews

Mrs and Mrs B McCaldin

Mr and Mrs D McClymont

Ms O McClymont

Mr S McCreery

Mrs E McKendrick

Mrs A McNair Scott

Mr J Michaelson

Mr and Mrs J Michaelson

Mr S Montague

Mr J Moon

Ms V Morphet

Ms L Morre-Gwyn

Ms L Mortlock

Ms C Moss

Mr S Leong and Ms G Dwarka

Mr A Muir

Mr P Mullen

Mr and Mrs J Muncey

Mr and Mrs R Nash

Mr M Neville

Mrs C Newman

Mr S Niarchos

Ms L Nicole

Mrs S Niedringhaus

Mrs A Novatin

Mr and Mrs G Novatin

Mrs L Ogilvie-Jones

Mr and Mrs C Olusola

Mr and Mrs A Omotola

Ms N Onwuemena

Mrs J Orpen

Mr C O’Shea

Mr R Parry

Mr W Pattisson

Mrs and Mrs C Pearson

Ms K Pelton

Mr and Mrs G Pemberton

Mr D Pemberton

Mr Q Peng

Mr and Mrs J Percy-Davis

Mrs V Pernthaller

Mr and Mrs J Perry

Lady Peto

Mrs R Pollock

Mrs N Pope

Lady Portal

Mr G Powell

Mrs G Qi

Mr and Mrs C Quillen

Mr C Radford

Mrs S Radford

Mrs T Reeve

Mr C Reynard

Mr R Richards

Mr and Mrs T Riddle

Mr M Ridley

Mrs A Ridley

Mr and Mrs A Riley

Mr S Robinson

The Lord Roborough

Mr and Mrs C Roest

The Hon Mr and Mrs J Rollo

Earl of Ronaldshay

Mrs E Russell

Mr G Salter

Mrs A Scales

Mr and Mrs J Scobie

Mrs M Scott

Mr and Mrs G Scott

Mr and Mrs J Sethi

Ms Q Shao

Mrs J Shepherd-Cross

Mr J Shi

Mrs C Shi

Mr and Mrs R Shittu

Mr C Silcock

Mr and Mrs W Slack

Mr R Smeeton

Mrs C Smith

Mrs A Sneader

Mr and Mrs Song

Mr J Sparrow

Mrs M Spicer

Dr and Mrs N Springthorpe

Mr and Mrs C Spry

Mrs R Stephens

Mrs M Stimson

Mr A Stone

Lord Strathclyde

Mrs J Stringer

Mr and Mrs G Subiotto

Mrs H Summerfield

Mr T Sun

Mrs C Szlapak

Mr N Tan

Mrs L Tang

Mr R Tarling

The Hon Mrs E Tarling

Mrs D Taylor

Mr L Tchou

Mrs S Thawong

Mr and Mrs A Thistlethwayte

Mrs D Threlfall

Mr M Tong

Mrs J Tung

Mr and Mrs G Twinn

Mr and Mrs P Uahwatanasakul

Mr J Vazquez-Sanchez

Mr N Venning

Mrs C Viventi

Mr M Walton

Ms E Wan

Mrs E Wan (Pak)

Miss S Wang

Mr A Ward

Ms S Warren

Mr and Mrs P Weatherall

Mr M Webber

Mr G Weldon

Dr K Wessely

Dr and Mrs J Williams

Mr J Williams-Bulkeley

Mr and Mrs M Wippell

Mr and Mrs J Witter

Mr and Mrs D Womsley

Mr J Wong

Miss A Wong

Ms H Wong

Mr L Wong

Mr N Woo

Ms A Wood

Mrs and Mrs J Wood

Dr and Dr Woodworth

Mr and Mrs D Wormsley

Mr J Wotherspoon

Mrs C Wyles

Mr and Mrs Xu

Dr S Youn

Mrs F Yu

Mrs L Zeal

Mr and Mrs Zhang

Mr and Mrs Zheng

The Ashendene Trust

Dr J wang and Dr L Jin

And thank you to those who have donated anonymously