Nurturing People, Places and Programs

Members of the Foundation Board

FOUNDATION

A culture of philanthropy has been part of The King’s School since its establishment in 1831. The School’s facilities, scholarships, bursaries, prizes and programs are largely the result of the generosity of previous generations who have invested in the students and their School.

For the past two years, The King’s School Foundation, under the guidance of the Head of Foundation Mr Will Halliday (1986), has been focused on revitalising a culture of giving across all three campuses. The Foundation has adopted the philosophy that through nurturing people, places and programs, the King’s legacy of developing young people into Global Thought Leaders can continue now and into the future.

“Giving ensures the vitality and uniqueness of school life at King’s and supports the ongoing development of our campus and programs, adding new chapters to our unique story,” says Will.

To create new chapters, the Foundation, in partnership with the School, is focused on driving philanthropic activity as it counts down the next decade in the lead-up to its bicentenary in 2031.

The Foundation provides opportunities for people through the Scholarship and Bursaries program. This funding offers a platform for students who are deserving of a King’s education through a variety of awards that stipulate different qualities and abilities within worthy recipients. These are qualities and abilities that align with the School Values and what it means to be a Kingsman.

There is a long and impressive list of scholarship and bursary recipients who, through philanthropic support, have attended The King’s School and are now making positive contributions to society. One such recipient is rugby union player Archer Holz (2018) who received the Violet Macansh Scholarship in Year 7. Member and help plant the seeds for a better future for King’s. A Foundation Membership entitles access to unique experiences, exclusive events, recognition and connections. There is a suite of benefits including access to boutique dinners, garden parties and networking events, moneycan’t-buy experiences, honorary recognition and personalised merchandise. Above all, membership provides the opportunity to build lifelong friendships with members of the King’s School community.

“There is an exciting momentum building towards the School’s 200th anniversary celebration in 2031, and the Foundation is at the heart of the development of King’s. We invite you to help us write this next historic chapter, to connect the past, present and future of the School,” says Cameron Poolman, President of The King’s School Foundation.

Membership opportunities are reserved for current community members, Old Boys and past families who want to play their part in making a positive contribution for the benefit of the students and the School. To find out more about the Foundation Membership you can visit www.kings.edu.au/joining/ supporting-the-kings-school/#the-kingsschool-foundation

Archer plays for the NSW Waratahs and Australia A, alongside studying at University of Sydney. He pays testament to his time at King’s and the opportunities he experienced as a result of the generous philanthropic contributions of its devoted community.

“It’s so important to do as much as you can while you are at King’s. You have nothing to lose. No one would be there without the help and support of the people around them. I learned it is more important we are good people before anything else. That is what I loved about King’s,” says Archer.

Venthan Brabaakaran (2014) was a Foundation Scholarship recipient. Throughout his time at King’s, Venthan grew as a leader both academically and personally. “The gift of a scholarship at King’s didn’t just give me an education, it gave me the freedom to be myself. The School took a chance on me and allowed me to take risks. I never felt I needed to be someone else; I felt motivated and supported to push the limits,” says Vethnan.

The second focus for the Foundation is developing places that support the educational and co-curricular opportunities that make King’s a world-class school. To create valuable experiences for students within those places, the Foundation hopes to initiate partnerships and projects that foster the third philanthropic focus, programs.