FUNDRAISINGNEWS 2017
Prospective parents often ask me how we, as a school, go about supporting charitable causes. I suppose the underlying question being posed is whether Arnold House boys (and their parents) live a privileged way of life without much of a care for people less fortunate than themselves. I am proud to be able to answer truthfully; that members of the Arnold House community stand out as beacons for recognising that the advantages we enjoy are available sadly to too few and that we all share in the responsibility to try to make the world a better place for others. I know this to be the case because so many AH parents have set up their own
charities; projects that have taken many years to build-up into successful and sustainable enterprises. Parents have also proven to be generous supporters of the School’s charitable giving programme which has considerable input from the boys themselves. The boys choose our nominated international charity each year and find novel ways of raising money through events such as the Bursary Challenge Week and Young Entrepreneurs’ Afternoon. The Bursary Fund is another case in point having been supported to the tune of nearly £700,000 since its launch in 2011. For a prep school of our size this is a remarkable figure to have raised and
gives us hope that we may be on course to reach the magical target of £1,000,000 by 2021. All in all, I think as a school we can feel proud of our fundraising and charitable giving efforts, whilst being confident that AH boys develop a perceptive sense of their place in the world as well as a keen awareness of how they should try to make a difference for the benefit of others. Viv Thomas Headmaster
THE VALUE OF A BURSARY PLACE AT ARNOLD HOUSE What better way to measure the value and success of a bursary place at Arnold House than through the pupils themselves? To date our bursary boys have been successful in gaining places to the most sought after senior schools. They go on to thrive in their teenage years and thus far have moved on to Russell Group universities: Brunel, Newcastle and Oxford. We are grateful to two of our past bursary boys who have put into words their experience, the differences from their previous schools and how they were able to settle into life at Arnold House.
Joining Arnold House in Year 5 From the beginning, I knew that I was very fortunate to be able to attend Arnold House and I wanted to do my best. I remember, I settled in to Year 5 quickly and was invited to meet some of the new friends I had made outside of school. I had attended a ‘taster day’ so knew what to expect, but it was very different from my previous school. Classes had half as many pupils as I had been used to and for the first time I was amongst pupils all of whom were
of a similar ability. I appreciated having specialist teachers for different subjects which I would not have had otherwise. I found everything interesting and I worked hard. By attending Arnold House I was able to begin Latin and French in Year 5 and these are now amongst my best subjects. As a result, I successfully took GCSEs in these a year early and I have chosen to study three other languages. I had been used to a small playground where the boys’ ball games needed to be restricted.
I had only developed agility skills by practising playing with a ball on the spot, then at Arnold House I discovered that I could do much more. I liked playing games in the playground and thought that Canons Park was amazing. I particularly loved playing hockey and cricket. Now, I really enjoy playing sport at senior school and play outside of school, when I can. Before going to Arnold House I did very little art at school so I remember being impressed by the range of materials available in lessons. I particularly enjoyed a day at Canons Park with a visiting artist, working with plastic. Also, although I had had some piano lessons and was in a choir outside of school, I had not previously experienced having music as a central part of school life. I really appreciated this and my instrumental lessons, together with my involvement in Chapel Choir and Jazz Band, contributed towards my later being able to attend a conservatoire’s junior department on Saturdays. I continue to enjoy this enormously, as well as the opportunities I have to perform. At school recently, I was pleased to receive a prize for music. I knew attending Arnold House was a big commitment for my family but I was very proud, worked hard and always wanted to make the most of my opportunity. AH pupil (2010-14) now at City of London School Joining Arnold House in Year 7 My arrival at Arnold House in Year 7 coincided with the beginning of the Common Entrance course, meaning that everyone was preparing for their exams. Whilst the level of education at Arnold House was undoubtedly much higher than at my previous school, it was not hard to catch up with everyone else, even in subjects such as Latin which I had not studied before. This is thanks to the fantastic support and teaching I was given at Arnold House. Without exception, every teacher made sure that I understood the topics being covered and taught everything in a manner which was easy to understand. Introductory lessons in Latin were organised over the summer, and after just three sessions, I felt I had a good grasp of the language. Life at Arnold House was quite different than at my previous school. Novelties for me included having a timetable, using my own folders, having a school intranet, the use of Chromebooks for work, getting grades on top of verbal feedback and having different classes and teachers for separate subjects. All of these things meant that the standard of education was so much higher than I was used to. Before joining the school, I had the opportunity to spend a day at a selection of prep schools, including Arnold House and after only a few hours at the school,
I knew that this was where I wanted to be. After having spent just one day at the school, I felt I had already made friends and when I joined in Year 7 everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. In no time at all, I was the same as everyone else; as if I had been with the year group since Year 1. I have made some very close friends and now, after having left, we all keep in touch. Coming to Arnold House has introduced me to many new sports, subjects, and activities. I had never really played rugby nor tennis before but I have discovered a passion that has continued at senior school. Sport has been such a big part of my time at Arnold House. I experienced sports in a way that was so far removed from my previous school and I loved every aspect of it. The quality of the training, the sportsmanship and the spirit at Arnold House are exceptional and the coaches bring out the best in every boy. The variety of extra-curricular activities and subjects on offer presented me with a unique opportunity to learn; Ancient Greek, computer programming,
carpentry, Airfix modelling and debating, to mention but a few. I was also able to further improve my saxophone skills and thoroughly enjoyed the large range of music groups at Arnold House, from Senior Choir to Jazz Band. I was also able to enjoy lots of trips, both in London and outside such as skiing in Switzerland, Rome, Paris, Dorset and Burgundy. Ultimately, the two years I spent at Arnold House were unforgettable and albeit short, I know that the legacy with the old boys community will last a lifetime! Arnold House equipped me perfectly for senior school and elevated my future prospects to a level that my previous schools simply could not. Finally, it is with the utmost gratitude that I would like to thank the bursary scheme at Arnold House for allowing me to have all of these fantastic opportunities and enjoy a first class education that has truly allowed me to thrive and has broadened my horizons. AH pupil (2014-16) now at Harrow School
THE BOARD OF FRIENDS AND BURSARY AMBASSADORS JOIN FORCES At the beginning of this academic year, the Headmaster and Governors reviewed various aspects of the School’s development planning, including its fundraising activity and the roles of the Board of Friends and Bursary Ambassadors. The day-to-day fundraising for the Bursary Scheme remains a top priority. However, with the scheme now firmly established within the DNA of the School there are many other aspects of fundraising and development upon which we wish to focus our attention. These include the Annual Fund, major giving, legacies, corporate gifts, public benefit, and charitable giving. With this in mind, it made sense at this point to merge the expertise of both
the Board of Friends and the Bursary Ambassadors into one committee called the Fundraising Committee. Members of the Fundraising Committee include; representatives from the Board of Governors, the Chair of the ‘42 Club, the current Chair and most recent ex-Chair of the AHPA, and a number of members of the parent body from across the School with an interest or background in fundraising, as well as the Headmaster, Bursar and Head of External Relations. The objectives for the committee are: 1. To act as a sounding board for the Headmaster and Head of External Relations regarding proposed fundraising initiatives.
2. To act as an ambassador for Arnold House, helping to raise awareness of the School’s fundraising goals and initiatives. 3. To be active in expanding the School’s network of donors and friends by identifying and/or helping to engage new potential donors and supporters including individuals, corporates and Foundations. Following a successful first meeting in the autumn term, it was agreed that the Committee will focus their attention on Foundations and Charitable Trusts this year. Research in this area is currently underway and we look forward to reporting back to you about our progress in due course.
ANNUAL FUND ELEMENTS CAMPAIGN This year the Annual Fund took a slightly different format to the norm as we started to plan ahead for an exciting project in 2018 hence the launch of the Elements Campaign to help the School raise funds towards the upgrade of the Science laboratory.
• Brand new equipment and furniture throughout the lab
The project includes the complete refurbishment and refit of the current laboratory space including:
Donors to the Elements Campaign have been able to sponsor an element from the Periodic Table and will be recognised on a glass representation of the periodic table at the entrance to the laboratory.
• The creation of 5 dedicated practical stations • Each station to be equipped with gas taps, sink and its own equipment
• Complete update of storage provision and prep room • Development of a quiet innovation zone
overwhelming support which has raised a fantastic total of £19,225. We are sure that the boys will gain much benefit from the new facility and expect they will be inspired by having played a part in contributing towards this exciting upgrade in the School’s facilities.
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CHARITY During the past year, boys, staff and parents have continued to support a number of worthy charitable causes through various activities and events, raising a total of £9,521. As well as the three themed charity days that the School holds each year, money is also raised from the Years 6&7 Young Entrepreneurs event, church collections, second hand uniform sales and by the AHPA at the Summer Fair.
training local surgical teams, providing surgical treatment and donating necessary equipment which we have already been able to help purchase. A big thank you to all the boys, parents and staff for supporting the School’s charitable causes.
£2,368 was raised for the School’s local charity, the St John’s Hospice which was spent on much needed medical equipment. The international charity chosen by the boys was Plan International and £6,049 was raised for them and has gone towards helping children in education around the world. A further £1,060 was raised for national charities including the Poppy Appeal, the Royal Life Boats and the Grenfell Tower Appeal. The boys have chosen to support Facing the World over the next year and £2,288 was raised during the autumn term following a Myths and Legends themed charity day. Facing the World is a medical charity creating sustainable solutions for children in developing countries who have severe craniofacial defects. They do this by
HOW TO DONATE Donations to the Bursary and Annual Funds can be made by cheque or bank transfer directly to their dedicated bank accounts as follows: Arnold House School Bursary Fund Royal Bank of Scotland Sort Code 16-00-83 Account Number 00126570
Arnold House School Annual Fund Royal Bank of Scotland Sort code: 16-00-83 Account Number: 00134514
Charity vouchers are also accepted. Match Funding If you work for an organisation that has a match funding policy, any money you donate could be matched by your employer. These schemes are not exclusive to the major corporate giants, if you work for an independent company, they may be interested in charitable giving through match funding too. Please contact Stephanie Miller, Director of Development, for further details at smiller@arnoldhouse.co.uk or on 020 7266 6989. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Arnold House School 1 Loudoun Road St. John’s Wood, London NW8 0LH Telephone: 020 7266 4840 Email: office@arnoldhouse.co.uk Website: www.arnoldhouse.co.uk Arnold House School Ltd (Limited by Guarantee). Registered in London Number 889424. Educational Charitable Trust Number 312725