Why Support Us - Aylesbury Grammar School-AG真人娱乐官方网站

Vision for Art

为什么支持AGS

Aylesbury Grammar School will be 425 years old in 2023 and whilst we are proud of our history and reputation as an exceptional School we also know we must look to the future.

We provide an education for each and every student which is unparalleled in breadth and quality of opportunity, but in order to maintain this we need facilities to match our vision. We face significant financial challenges. We are one of the most successful Schools in the country but it may surprise you to learn we remain in the bottom twenty lowest funded schools in the country. The School has occupied its current site for over a century and has some rapidly deteriorating learning and teaching spaces – many are not fit for teaching and learning in the modern world – and so this is where you come in.

Why Do We Need to Fundraise?

As an Academy our annual operating costs are funded through central government. In recent years, our annual allocation per student has been decreasing in real terms. Funding just about covers our basic operating costs through our efficient financial management but there are no funds for the refurbishment of existing or the building of new facilities.

This means if we want to invest in our buildings and technology, or to continue to enrich the curriculum, we have to look for additional outside sources to help, either through grants or our community for regular or one-off gifts.

Fundraising enables us to make improvements to our School, and provide opportunities for our students, that would not be possible otherwise.

How do we Fundraise?

There are a number of fundraising channels for Aylesbury Grammar School

The Conditions Improvement Fund. All academy schools are entitled to apply for this Government Fund once a year. Money from this Fund tends to be allocated for projects which have a Health & Safety or Capacity issue. For example, our Sixth Form Centre was funded by a successful bid to CIF.
Capital Campaigns These fund major building work or refurbishments and are ‘one-off’ targeted Campaigns for a specific large scale development. Examples of successful Capital Campaigns are ‘Inspiring Science’ and the Squash Refurbishment. We tend to run a major Capital Campaign once every 4 - 5 years depending on the needs of the School.
Regular Giving Schemes. Our Scheme is called The Aylesburian Annual Fund. This is the backbone of our School fundraising and it is a regular monthly giving scheme for donations of any size (although one-off donations are very welcome too!). Regular donations make a lasting impact on our School and our students, whether it is £5, £20, or £100 a month. The focus is on the short term urgent needs of the School. Last year we raised funds for the refurbishment of the Maths classrooms and this year (2019/20) we are focusing on the refurbishment of Art, DT and Engineering. We need to raise £150,000 in pledged funds this year and our ambition is for every parent to give as little or as much as they can afford. The Fund also finances the ‘Hardship Fund’ which is for students whose families are unable to financially support essential school visits and other opportunities. With TAAF our community has the opportunity to support both facilities and specific students.
PTA. This is a group of hard-working and passionate parents who fundraise through a calendar of social events for the AGS community to raise money for specific items. Most recently, they have helped with the refurbishment and equipment of IT1 & IT2, and the resurfacing of the tennis courts. Our PTA raised a record breaking £42,000 for the benefit of the School last year and some of the funds have been allocated to the refurbishment of the Drama Studio, including a new lighting and sound system. It is led by event committees of parents, it’s great fun, and we would love more parents to get involved.
Legacy Giving. Leaving a legacy to Aylesbury Grammar School is one of the most significant ways to leave a lasting impact on the education of future generations of students. A legacy gift creates a lasting testimony of a connection with the School and allows you to support the school financially in a way that you might not otherwise have been able to do. We are hugely indebted to our supporters who have made a provision for the School in their Wills. The Professor William Mead Library was entirely funded by a legacy. Those who advise us of their intention to support the School in this way are recognised as benefactors and acknowledged legacy supporters and we keep them in touch with the School, should they wish to do so.
Major Giving. A major gift is a donation of £10,000 or more made by an individual, group, foundation or corporation in support of a specific area. Major gifts are often bespoke arrangements between the donor and School and can come in many forms. They are often pledged over a number of years to be most convenient to the donor. In recent years, major gifts to Aylesbury Grammar School have taken the form of major sponsorship of spaces within buildings such as the Belger/Shipperley Laboratory, the Bown Laboratory or the Rectory Homes Laboratory. In the past, some major benefactors have chosen to remain anonymous.
Volunteering. Many alumni, parents and friends have participated in our careers activities, societies and speakers programme to help our current students learn more about life beyond Aylesbury Grammar School. Events include career advice and support including practice interviewing, speaking at events and lectures, offering work experience and providing mentoring opportunities.

Summary of Recent Developments

Formally opened 'Aylesbury Grammar School Science Centre' in 2016 crucially improving the facilities for Biology, Physics and Chemistry Laboratories, providing our students with a total of 15 new state-of-the-art Laboratories, together with improved preparation and staff facilities. A £2.3 million, 7 year project funded by a wide range of initiatives and donations including two capital campaigns, parental, alumni and our first major corporate donation together with significant support from local and national trusts and grants.
Renovated the Squash facilities to create the William Harding Squash Club via a successful bid to Sport England which was match funded with a bespoke Capital Campaign generously supported by the William Harding Charity.
Remodelled our Sixth Form Centre. The facility now provides a university- style environment for our senior students with The Common Room and patio area as a social space, a study room for up to 40 students downstairs and a Learning Centre upstairs for 140 students. Funded by a successful bid to the Capital Improvement Fund.
Created a new Library. The library is at the heart of the School providing a reading, study and learning space for the whole School. Funded by a legacy left to the AGS Foundation by Professor William Mead. The Professor was an Old Aylesburian, former Foundation Governor, former Chairman of Governors and a wonderful friend to the School, as well as Emeritus Professor of Geography at University College London.
Refurbished the Maths classrooms including the extension of the Maths Staff Room. Funded by The Aylesburian Annual Fund (2018/19).
Completed the refurbishment and equipment of IT1 & IT2, the resurfacing of the tennis courts and the refurbishment of the Drama Studio, including a new lighting and sound system. Just a few of the projects recently funded by our PTA.

The Future

There is still a vast amount to do. Our focus for fundraising this academic year is through the Aylesburian Annual Fund which is raising funds for the refurbishment of Art, DT and Engineering and it also supports our important Hardship Fund.

Thank you

Aylesbury Grammar School was founded as a ‘free school’ for local students. Our commitment to this foundation and our values of ‘Respect & Aspire’ will drive our developments over the coming years.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who makes any gift, at any level, to our School. Every contribution makes a real difference to the lives of our AGS boys. Our pledge is to keep you informed on how your support directly benefits AGS students.

Aylesburian Annual Fund

Resources

AGS Learner

Our vision is to provide an exceptional education, rich in learning opportunities

PTA website

The PTA is a group of parents, who organise and run events, with the support of the school.

School Bookings

Now you can make bookings for Parents Evenings and school events that suit you.

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ParentPay

Pay online for school uniforms and sports clothing, school dinners, trips and more.

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