Dear Parents/ Carers

Vyners School ‘Futures Fund’ was established in September 2013 to improve and enrich many aspects of school life not directly concerned with the curriculum. Like many other schools, there are many ‘over and above’ facilities we would like to provide for our students, that we are simply not able to able to fund from our school budge

Your child is benefitting from a wide range of improvements made to the School over the last few years.  This includes a substantial investment in new classroom furniture, new cycle storage sheds, a complete overhaul of the playground to make it a much more sociable space and, in 2016, refurbishment of the double tennis courts (an areas used extensively by students at break and lunch, as well as during lessons).  For 2017, the Fund replaced the current suite of 6^th Form lockers – something we were unable to afford when Year 7-11 had new lockers 3 years ago.

All of these improvements have been aimed at ensuring your sons and daughters have a stimulating and dynamic learning environment.  We would not have been able to achieve all that we have, however, without donations made by parents and carers such as you. The stark reality is that school budgets are under more strain than ever before with reductions in Post-16 funding, increases to NI and Pension contributions and a flat-cash settlement from the Government since 2010.   

Most parents / carers are now regularly donating to the fund, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the part you have played in supporting your child’s education.  If you have not yet contributed, we are asking you to set up a modest regular payment of £10 per family, per month.  To start contributing, please ask at School reception for a form and return to the School Finance Office

As an academy school we are an exempt charity, eligible to recover gift aid on all voluntary contributions made.  If you are a UK taxpayer, it is therefore vital that you register your donation for Gift Aid.  This increases the value of your contribution by 25%.

The Futures Fund will only ever be used to fund facilities that will benefit the maximum number of students and that would not ordinarily come from within the school budget.  One of our Parent Governors, Michaela Adams, has agreed to oversee the operation of the Fund.  The School will not make purchases unless she is satisfied that these funding criteria have been met.

Thank you in advance for your contribution, and for helping make Vyners School a truly outstanding school in every sense of the word.

Yours sincerely

Gary Mullings

Headteacher