Funds and Appeals

Why we need your help?

Your support can make a difference

As a co-educational independent school we have to have a clear vision of how we can broaden our access, develop our facilities and further enhance the educational opportunities on offer at Pownall Hall. In particular, we would like to establish a permanent source of funding for bursaries.

However, such aspirations are expensive and cannot be financed from income alone. Without the luxury of surplus funds or an endowment, this means we must seek additional sources of financial support. With the help and support of our donors we will be able to secure the future of the School and its pupils.

Our fundraising strategy has three objectives:

Short Term - to fund smaller projects which are achievable within the academic year, through donations to the School’s annual giving program or general fund.

Medium Term - to build a Bursary Fund. To operate a system close to the school’s charitable objectives within the local community.

Long Term – to continue to create further excellence in our facilities, building on the significant investment made in recent years.

All donations, however large or small, make an enormous difference. Our pupils will benefit from your support and our future success relies on the generosity of all those connected to the Pownall Hall community. Our donors contribute to the shaping of future generations.

There are many ways to donate to Pownall Hall School and different funds to support, which you can find on these pages. Alternatively, if you want to find out about ways you can support the School, please contact our Headmaster, Jonathan Hall or our Bursar, Anne Worsley.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Bursary Fund

One of the school’s development goals is the growth of a Bursary Fund.

By seeking to build a Bursary Fund the School aims to introduce a wide ranging and generous bursary provision, thereby, reaffirming our charitable principles and provide
availability of Pownall Hall Schools first rate teaching and ethos to all talented children in our local community.

It is, of course, the generosity of benefactors in giving to the Bursary Fund that enables us to turn our intentions into practice. The goodwill of donors makes it possible for others to benefit from Pownall Hall School in a way that perhaps they or their children have. This generosity can help us offer Pownall Hall education to a broader spectrum of children and change their lives for the better.

Development and General Funds

It is essential that we maintain and improve our facilities: indeed there is a need to continue our improvements to the estate, which is dominated by the Grade II* listed Hall.

As with many independent schools in the UK, our fee income alone does not allow us to enhance the school site as we would wish.

In recent years the school has invested significant sums in a number of projects: installation of a comprehensive computer network and upgrading of our IT requirements; extensive maintenance work and improvements on our classrooms; complete new driveway, parking and playground surfaces; increased security arrangements, fencing and gates; refurbishments to the main Hall. The work continues with further security provision throughout the site and additional classroom IT provision (with help from our Parents Association).

Donations to the Development fund will support the provision, improvement, construction and development of the School buildings and infrastructure.

We hope to build a culture of continuing support both for present needs and future developments

As a registered charity Pownall Hall is able to maximize tax-effiency benefits available. (see our section on making a gift)

If you want to know more contact our Bursar, who will be happy to help you.

Making a Gift

For regular gifts by standing order and single gifts by cheque.

Support, in any format, can be directed towards any area that is of particular interest to you, and can be made over time. You may wish to consult your financial/legal advisor.

Making regular gifts by Electronic Funds Transfer is by far the easiest and efficient method for you and the School. This kind of donation reduces the administrative costs, and by giving in this way, you will provide the School with an annual income allowing us to plan ahead accordingly. To set up a standing order for monthly, quarterly or annual gifts to Pownall Hall School, or a single gift by cheque, please download and complete the relevant Gift Form from the list given and forward to the Bursars Office at the address provided.

If you are a UK tax payer, your cash gifts may be made via Gift Aid, with significant benefits for both yourself and the School.

Pownall Hall School has charitable status which allows both individuals and corporate supporters to make tax-efficient gifts, either as a lump sum or over a number of years.

Clich here to download the various Gift Aid forms

Making a gift of any size using the Gift Aid scheme enables Pownall Hall School, as a registered charity, to reclaim from the Government the basic rate of tax on your gift (currently 20%), which you will already have paid. This means an extra 25p for every £1 donated, at no extra cost to you, with a top up from HM Revenue and Customs of an additional 3p for every £1 donated until 2011. As an example, gift aid would increase a £3000 donation to £3840.
If you are a basic rate taxpayer, it stops there. But if you pay tax at, for example, the higher rate of 40%, you can claim tax relief, equivalent to 20% of your gross gift, when you record your donation on your annual Self Assessment Tax Return.

So, if you are a 40% higher rate tax payer your £3000 donation to Pownall Hall will generate higher rate relief of £750, reducing the actual cost of your gift to £2250, if you later claim this tax relief through the self assessment process.
You may wish to refer to HM Revenue and Customs web site www.hmrc.gov.uk for the latest information on tax efficient giving. We would also advise you to consult your tax adviser/accountant when considering changes to your affairs