Annual Fund 2012

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Thank You for Your Generous Support

In the twelve months from July 2012- June 2013, £194,344 was raised for the Enhancing Opportunities Annual Fund and Nurturing Potential Bursary programmes. A total of 411 people made a gift and 135 new donors signed up to the Enhancing Opportunities Lifetime Giving Programme. The School’s first telephone campaign was a great success raising £130,000 in donations and pledges of support, against a target of £60,000.Generous philanthropic support coupled with careful financial management of the WGS Trust has helped the School to put in place the cornerstones of a successful bursary programme which continues to prosper. Whether you are supporting the Bursary Fund, the Enhancing Opportunities Programme or both, you can be assured that your help provides invaluable benefits to both current and future pupils. Funding for bursaries will enable us to expand the number of bursary places, helping us reach our ultimate goal that no deserving girl be denied a place at Withington Girls’ School for financial reasons. Support for the Enhancing Opportunities

Programme provides key stretch learning opportunities for all girls to take their experiences and skills into their futures beyond Withington.
We would like to take this opportunity to update you and express our thanks for your generous donations. The Enhancing Opportunities Programme was established in 2012 to identify short-term funding priorities,and provide stretch-learning opportunities for all girls who take their experiences and skills into their futures beyond Withington.

Trotec Digital Laser Cutter

“ We teach Design Technology to equip our pupils with the understanding and skills needed to become future citizens in an increasingly technological world. The beauty of using these machines is it enables our pupils to be creative and have the complete freedom to design and laser cut speedily to a high manufacturing standard.” Fabiola Cotton, Head of Design Technology

The Trotec laser cutter has been used widely by both pupils and staff. They have produced both creative and industrial products, cutting varied materials such as textiles, metal, stone and plastics to a professional level, not usually observed in a school environment. Teachers have used the laser cutter to create large scale room displays to enhance learning and it has supported pupils in Young Enterprise, Engineering Clubs, Physics and Art and Design.

“ I find working on the laser printer really fun, we are designing perfume bottles on the computer and it has only taken two weeks to design and lasercut the plastic to make the bottle.” Lauren Cheyne [Year 9]

“ I support our Design and Technology pupils using the laser cutter, which we use to make products focusing on form and functionality. I also support the art pupils in creating special one off pieces of work.
As staff we are constantly learning and developing new skills using the laser cutter. Going forward, we are planning several new, extra-curricular clubs for our pupils, including laser classes for the Junior Art Clubs and Jewellery design sessions for the older pupils.” Hannah Brown, Art and DT Technician

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Salvi Aurora Grand Harp

“ We are absolutely delighted with the Salvi Aurora grand harp. I would like to say a big thank you to all those who have supported the Enhancing Opportunities fund. The pedal harp has provided fantastic progression opportunities for the girls, from lever to pedal harp. It is quite something for a school to have a pedal harp; our former pupil Helen Carrington [2013]achieved concert pedal harp Grade 7. I now have seven girls learning the harp -those who started on the lever harp in Year 8 & 9 are now progressing on to the pedal harp.” Gilly Sargent, Director of Music

The Salvi Aurora grand harp with 47 strings has been played at all music concerts in School since its purchase and brings Withington’s Harp Department up to a standard to rival specialist music schools. Withington Girls’ School was proud to host a harp workshop in support of the Wales International Harp Festival in January 2014.

“ It is a real privilege to play the pedal harp. It’s grander and an upgrade on the current lever harps. I can experiment more and broaden my skills. I enjoy playing the pedal harp and I feel like a professional harpist. I play the pedal harp every week, and I am hoping to continue playing when I go to University.” Sara Sulaivany [Year 12]

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Arvon Creative Writing Course

“ We are very excited at the opportunity to take approximately fifteen girls to Lumb Bank, The Ted Hughes Arvon Centre in Yorkshire, February 2014. The five-day residential and intense courses are highly regarded and each place costs approx £800. The interested pupils had to apply for a coveted place in writing, demonstrating both their creative writing skills and writing commitments outside School.” Jill Bowie, English Teacher

Your donations have enabled pupils to access the considerable resources and skills offered by the Arvon Foundations and its team of staff and tutors. In the words of David Almond, award-winning author and tutor at Arvon.

“Arvon is different. It is optimistic and life enhancing. It is truly and deeply educational. It shows words, stories, poems, plays, songs are tools of exploration and development. Arvon is about encouraging people to become fully rounded imaginative beings who are in tune with their own instincts and ambitions.” Two teachers will be in loco parent is and tutors will run workshops each morning and one-to-one tutorials in the afternoon. We are looking forward to hearing more, in the future, about our next published authors.”

To read more about how successful the Arvon course was, please see WGS Bulletin Spring 2014 article. 

 

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