The Wellingborough School Foundation
In late 2022, the Governors took the decision to reorganise the corporate and charitable structures of the School group, to assure organisational agility and allow it to adapt at pace to any future threats to the independent education sector.
One element of this was the creation of a stand-alone charitable incorporated organisation to be known as the ‘Wellingborough School Foundation’. Registered separately with the Charity Commission in late 2023 and with its own trustees, the objects of the Foundation are the advancement of education of the pupils at Wellingborough School through:
- the financial support and assistance of the School and/or wider educational initiatives projects and other associated activities; and
- financial assistance by awarding scholarships, exhibitions, bursaries, maintenance allowances or grants tenable at the school or at any university, college of education, or other institution of further education.
Whilst there will be a transition period, the Foundation is now the focus for all fundraising for ‘buildings and bursaries’.
Transformational Bursaries - changing pupil's lives
We are extremely grateful to all the individual donors who have supported our pupils over the years as well as the following Transformational Bursary Awards:
War Memorial Fund
Headmaster P A Fryer launched the War Memorial Fund in 1918. A further endowment took place in the late 40s in memory of the 95 OWs who fell in the Second World War. 323 pupils received leaver awards between 1918 and 2003 when the funds ran dry. The Fund was relaunched in 2018, the centenary of the end of the First World War, remembering the 177 Old Wellingburians and four Masters who fell in action as well as the countless more who returned home wounded.
Sugden Arts Fellowship Award
Four Old Wellingburians endowed an Arts Fellowship Fund in 2016 in memory of former Headmaster John Sugden (65-73). The aim of the Fellowship is to support pupils and young OWs pursuing their career in an arts-related field.
The Douglas James Charitable Trust
Established by the late Douglas James (28-35), the Trust supports bursaries for four pupils at the School each year.
The Maud Elkington Charitable Trust
Joined the bursary award programme supporting a pupil in 2019.
Frank Berry Bursary Award
OW Frank Berry (48-54 PS) established the Frank Berry Bursary Award in September 2022 providing a 100% bursary to a pupil arriving in year 7. Not only has he covered 100% of the school fees but also extras like uniform, the cost of the bus, trips and after school supervision.
The Nevill Trust
Each year the School receives generous support from the Nevill Trust named in memory of Tom Nevill (Headmaster 1940 –56). The Trust provides funding each year to a Year 13 leaver who have excelled in their chosen subjects.
The 10 for 1 Bursary Fund
A single gift on its own is amazing but, joined together with others, that gift becomes transformational. 10 gifts of £140 plus gift aid funds a 100% bursary for deserving pupil.
If you would like to find out more about the Foundation please contact:
Graham Papenfus CFRE F.IDPE
Foundation and Development Director
Email – gnp@wellingboroughschool.org
Mobile – 07583 682 962
Project Coperncius
In late 2021 the Governors undertook a review of the preferred location for the School, almost 150 years after their predecessors had undertaken a similar exercise that saw the School move from its town centre location to the current site on London Road.
Immediately after that decision was taken, the Governors took the opportunity to consider ways that the site should develop to maintain the margin of excellence that has distinguished a Wellingburian education for over 425 years.
The principal consideration was the physical manifestations to support future ways of teaching and learning, but other factors included better optimising the ‘town/field’ balance, improving vehicular access, allowing the School to better play its part as a member of the community and achieving a net zero carbon sustainable footprint.
The work was wrapped into a master planning exercise under the title Project Copernicus, which set out a statement of strategic intent of how assets would be delivered to enhance teaching and learning and to underpin the School’s vision.
The first two projects that will be constructed as part of the masterplan are the Technology Centre and Sports Centre. The masterplan identified that the school lacked a statement building that forms a clear welcome as you enter the site. The new Technology Centre and Gatehouse will house the new reception, medical and welfare facilities as well as a lecture theatre and multi-purpose teaching spaces. As the existing Design and Technology department is currently off site, this was also seen as a priority to bring on to site to sit alongside the I.T department so that Technology teaching as a whole can be updated and refreshed.
The Technology Centre now has full planning permission so the contractors have commenced construction with the most disruptive work on site taking place during the summer holidays. We are on target to occupy the DT and IT areas of the building in Michaelmas Term 2025 and the Foyer and Gatehouse later that academic year.
Although the site will be busy within the site compound before the summer holidays, there will be no visible change for a while as there is a lot of work to do below ground level. By time the school returns September however, the building form should be taking shape.
The sports facilities were also identified as being in need of replacement and consolidation, along with the desire to provide a swimming pool. The new Sports Centre will be located opposite the Gatehouse so that a new secure line can be established between the two buildings.
All visitor and most staff parking will be located in the carparks that sit in front of these two buildings, so that drop off and general vehicular access will be improved.
The Gatehouse, Sports Centre and new carpark can then be secured separately from the main body of the school, allowing the school to maximise sharing these facilities with the wider community.
Completed Projects
To mark the School’s 425th anniversary in 2020, the Foundation launched a fundraising appeal for a new £1.5 million Sixth Form Centre, which was built in November 2022. Thanks must go to the OWs and current parents who waived their child’s deposit to buy a ‘brick’ and help bring this construction to it’s conclusion. The School is immensely proud of this new addition to the buildings on site and the Donor Wall sits proudly on the stair case walls. The Headmaster, his team and The Governors are delighted with the final result, as are the Sixth Form students who welcomed the chance to study and learn in their own space.
