Hotham School Fund

How to donate

The easiest way to donate is by clicking the buttons on this page which will take you to our fundraising page. Alternatively, please speak to the school office or email info@hotham.wandsworth.sch.uk who will be able to assist.

FAQs

Why is the Hotham Fund separated from the PTFA activities?

The Fund’s purpose is to support Hotham in maintaining the staffing levels, the environment and educational opportunities pupils at Hotham enjoy. The funds are transferred to Hotham Primary School and the governing body will decide how best to deploy these funds.

The PTFA is a community minded association which organises events and social gatherings. Within these events there are opportunities to raise funds. These funds are most often used to enrich the facilities and experience of children at Hotham Primary School, such as playground upgrades, room refurbishments, theatre trips, music workshops, technology upgrades, etc. The parents work with staff to decide annually how these funds are used.

 Who donates to the Fund?

Anyone can donate to the Fund. Most donors will be current Hotham parents, though sometimes alumni parents, grandparents or others may want to make contributions as well. In addition, some employers offer matching programs for charitable giving and in that way contribute to the Fund.

 Every contribution counts! The Fund benefits all children at Hotham Primary School and we all share the common goal of providing the best possible education for our kids.

Will my identity be kept private?

The identity of donors will be kept strictly confidential and not shared with staff, children or Governors.

What is a suggested donation?

It is entirely up to you. You are welcome to give whatever you can afford or feel comfortable with – as either a regular or one-off gift. There is no pressure to donate, if you are not in a position to contribute, please don’t worry.

How is the money in the Fund used?

All money raised through the Fund is transferred to Hotham Primary School and is then used at the discretion of the school’s administration within its operating budget. These decisions are overseen by the school Governors. Given that roughly 80% of Hotham’s costs are staffing costs, some of the money raised by the Fund goes towards additional Teaching Assistants and Specialist Teachers. The remainder goes towards maintaining and refurbishing our buildings and grounds, along with supporting the resourcing budget, helping the school to afford those resources which make subjects really come alive.

Hotham is a state school. Why do we need the Fund?

The local fall in pupil numbers and the ongoing reduction in school funding means a significant decrease in government funding. This means that the school has to use its financial reserves, which will eventually be exhausted if the school does not reduce what it offers our children. This could affect:

• The breadth and depth of curriculum currently provides

• Specialist teachers – PE, music and so on

• Maintaining additional teaching assistants, who currently allow for needed interventions and the capacity to extend the curriculum to meet the needs of individual students

• Regular renewal of teaching resources

• Refurbishment and redevelopment of specialist spaces for learning

Does the Fund have charitable status?

Not yet, but we are exploring options to apply for charitable status. This will also enable the school to access tax relief as well as cheaper ways of collecting donations.

Who oversees the Fund?

The fund is overseen by the governors and audited yearly by the local authority.