The Gift
Raph Campbell
Attending King’s School has massively improved me as a person in so many ways - I would never have had so many incredible, life changing opportunities, if it wasn’t for the bursary I received.
All the staff at King’s encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and helped me to grow as an individual in so many different ways.
The high level of sport and expert coaching developed my skills as a rugby player beyond my wildest dreams. Playing rugby at the Rosslyn Park Festival and the Sports Tour to Portugal were just two of the highlights. Words can not express the level of appreciation I have towards King’s, the staff and the pupils.
The Gift INVESTING IN THE LIVES OF FUTURE GENERATIONS OF KING’S PUPILS
King’s has a long, proud history, stretching back nearly 500 years, and has welcomed pupils from a variety of backgrounds over the centuries. As a charity we are committed to continuing this tradition and keeping our school accessible to the wider community.
However, the current economic and political challenges mean that only using fee income to invest in the school is going to become more difficult in the years ahead.
The King’s Gift campaign aims to ensure that our school is able to continue to offer an outstanding academic, pastoral and co-curricular education to its talented, diverse pupils, delivered by outstanding teachers in first-class facilities, for the next 500 years.
The King’s Gift campaign comprises two elements:
The Bursary Endowment Fund – a restricted fund to award transformational bursaries to talented pupils who otherwise would not be able to access a King’s education.
The Capital Projects Fund – a restricted fund to support investment in our stunning campus to help us upgrade our facilities to meet the needs of 21st Century learning.
To fund these two initiatives, we seek support in three ways:
• 1 A regular donation
• 2 A one-off donation
• 3 By leaving a legacy in your Will
All supporters of the King’s Gift campaign will join the new Tudor Rose Club – a very special group who will receive exclusive invitations and opportunities as thanks for their philanthropy.
BURSARY ENDOWMENT Fund
TRANSFORMING LIVES
King’s is a charity with a long record of supporting pupils from a range of backgrounds. At early as 1072, Abbot Serlo arrived in Gloucester to find monks teaching young boys in the Abbey precincts.
King Henry VIII later dissolved the Abbey school and established the ‘College School’ in 1541, which offered scholarships to local children. Despite this rich tradition of benefaction, the school has never had an enduring fund to award bursaries, although all King’s alumni will recall and understand the importance of social diversity at school in their own era.
Every week in school we meet prospective pupils with great potential who would flourish at King’s, but many families do not have the financial means to make the most of their potential. We want to be able to offer more of these pupils the opportunity to fully develop their talent to its full potential - whether that be in the classroom, on the stage, or on the sports field - and transform their life chances.
A key aim of the school is to recruit pupils from a range of backgrounds who will play a full, successful
part in the life of the school. So when we see talented pupils who could fulfil this aim, we see an opportunity to invest in them.
We already provide a significant amount of financial support in the form of scholarships and bursaries which accounts for 15% of our annual fee income. Impressively, this figure is already 50% higher than the UK independent school average, but because all independent schools’ finances are being threatened due to political decisions, we need to remove our reliance on fee income alone to support bursaries.
By building our Bursary Endowment Fund, many more children will be able to benefit from all the King’s has to offer.
As well as transforming lives through opportunity, we know that diverse experiences and ideas encourage all of our pupils to think differently. By embracing pupils from a range of backgrounds, it enriches the learning experience for all.
We want to do more, but we cannot do it alone
LIVES CHANGED THROUGH BURSARY SUPPORT...
Evie Innes-Lewis
The impact of King’s on my life is immeasurable.
I joined aged three and left at 18. Reflecting on my school years, I can’t but help wonder how different my life might have been without King’s. From Chapel in the Cathedral, which inspired my love of music and singing, to the engaging and nurturing teaching in small classes, King’s has shaped who I am. To my single mother, it wasn’t just a school; it was a second parent, a source of guidance and support that surpassed all others.
King’s has left an indelible mark on my life, and I am forever grateful for the bursary I received and the opportunities provided to me.”
Evie left King’s in 2021 and graduated from her Biomedical Sciences degree from the University of Manchester in 2024 and is now following her dreams and completing a medical degree at Southampton University.
BURSARY ENDOWMENT FUND – HOW IT W ORKS
A bursary is a means-tested fee remission. Bursaries are not dependent on academic or co-curricular ability; they are based on a family’s financial need. However, we only award bursaries to pupils who are likely to give the most to, and to gain the most from, a King’s education.
The money for bursaries currently comes wholly from the school’s fee income. We have created a Bursary Endowment Fund to reduce the impact on the school’s day-to-day finances. The aim is to create a substantial, enduring fund which will over time yield enough interest to award transformative bursaries (75% fee remission and above) to very talented local children. All donations will remain in the fund in perpetuity and cannot be used by the school for any other purpose.
If we can reach our 2028 target, we will be able to offer at least three transformative bursaries every year, forever. If we reach our 2041 target, we will be able to offer at least fifteen transformative bursaries every year, forever.
TARGET
By 2028, there will be £1million in the Bursary Endowment Fund.
By 2041, the school’s 500th anniversary, there will be £5million in the Bursary Endowment Fund.
If the Bursary Endowment Fund total stands at £400,000
5% interest returned annually on investment = £20,000 per year
Which equates to either two 50% bursaries or one 100% bursary
The Bursary Endowment Fund remains unchanged and the same award can be made the year after.
Matt Sargent
Summed up in one word – opportunity. My bursary gave me academic and broader opportunities that I would never otherwise have been able to access and set me on the path to an immensely fulfilling career as an Army Officer.
How has your bursary to attend King’s affected your life?
A late decision in Upper Sixth to take a Gap Year and look again at Oxbridge entrance was superbly supported by King’s Career’s Team and within two days I was being interviewed by the Army Schools Liaison Officer and sponsored by him through the selection process for a Gap Year Commission. Thirty-four years later (with a four-year break for an English Degree at Aberdeen University) and I’m still going – longest Gap Year ever!
I’ve had the privilege of leading soldiers on operations and in training on four continents. I spent three years at the MOD’s think tank developing our understanding of what the future would hold, working with amazing thinkers from more than forty countries world-wide. I’m now working in Navy HQ to develop the future capabilities of the Royal Marines. All of this, and the other amazing extra-curricular adventures that I have been on, stem from the wider opportunities and skills my bursary, and time at King’s, gave me!
CapitalDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
CREATING INSPIRATIONAL EDUCATIONAL SPACES
Our aim is to ensure the ongoing financial success of the school which will allow us to invest in our educational facilities and ensure that not only are they inspirational buildings in which to teach and learn, but also that they are fit for the needs of 21st century learning.
These are just a few of the major projects which have been completed since 2018:
• A new, state-of-the-art All Weather Pitch was installed at Archdeacon Meadow in 2019.
• A new Music School was created in the former probate offices on Pitt Street in 2019. This comprises six practice rooms, a music technology suite, a keyboard room, three classrooms and large flexible music room for lessons or performances.
• We invested £2million in the refurbishment of our Sixth Form Centre , Dulverton House, in 2021, transforming it into a modern teaching space on the first floor with a common room and café on the ground floor, whilst respecting and restoring the history of the beautiful building.
• Thanks to a donation from a member of Club 1541, in 2022 we created a new Technology Suite , equipped with iMacs on the top floor of the Art Department in Wardle House.
• With the pupil roll rising steadily, in 2022 we expanded our Science Department , adding a seventh laboratory, creating a welcoming foyer and enhancing the courtyard outside.
• The Bishop’s Palace basement refurbishment was completed in 2024. Phase 1 saw the transformation of three tired bag rooms back into beautiful classrooms as well as the upgrade of the corridor space. In Phase 2 we created two more classrooms and improved the pastoral support areas and gardens outside.
• In 2023, the entire roof of the School Hall and Junior School was removed and replaced with a fully insulated and watertight roof.
You will definitely still recognise the beautiful buildings of King’s when you next visit, but we hope that you will be impressed by the scale of investment and see the impact that it has on our pupils’ lives. You will also see that there is still more to do for future generations of King’s pupils. With growing financial and political pressure on the school’s resources, we need help from alumni to enable us to improve facilities further still.
If you would like to visit the school to meet the Headmaster and tour our campus and facilities, please contact our Head of Alumni Relations, George Smith (g.smith@thekingsschool.co.uk) to arrange a suitable date.
THE Capital PROJECTS
OUR PRIORITIES
for 2025 – 2035
FUND
Some of the school’s major capital development priorities, together with a short rationale, are outlined below, but we would be delighted to share with you a full list of our aspirations:
PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE
Music and Performing Arts are absolutely thriving at King’s. However, we lack a large, flexible, purpose-built space to seat 300+. The Cathedral and School Hall are in regular use already and are constrained. The Performing Arts Centre would also double as an Exam Hall for public exams since we no longer have access to the Chapter House. Cost £5 million.
LITTLE CLOISTER HOUSE
A new School Archive and upgraded History & Politics department will be created with a focus on enhancing Little Cloister Hall - one of the oldest classrooms in the world. A much-loved building will be restored to its former glory, with energy efficiency and C21st teaching at the heart. The School Archive will enable generations of former pupils to visit school, view resources and interact with the remarkable history. Cost £500,000.
ARCHDEACON PAVILION
As the School has grown, our sporting aspirations have grown too. We now play stronger schools from a wider area, often fielding C and D teams in addition to our top-flight squads. A new sports pavilion would offer more changing rooms to allow more fixtures, a hospitality area for post-match refreshments, a viewing platform across the pitches and astroturf, as well as better storage and toilets for guests. Cost £1 million.
We also seek donations for smaller scale projects which are no less valuable to the school community. We currently aspire to add new wooden benches to Paddock, and to update our choir robes, for example.
HOW YOU CAN support THE KING’S GIFT
1) MAKING A DIFFERENCE MONTH-BY-MONTH
We understand that not everyone will not be in a position to leave a legacy or make a single donation and may, instead, prefer to give a smaller amount on a monthly basis.
We have incorporated the school’s founding date of 1541 as the basis for monthly donations. This helps us to build towards the school’s 500th anniversary in 2041.
You can be part of our campaign from as little as £1.54 per month. You may prefer to donate one of the values below:
Gift Aid allows donors to increase the value of their donation, whilst also claiming tax relief from the UK government. 25p for every £1 can be added to the donation and tax claimed back on the total Gift Aid amount.
2) ONE-OFF DONATIONS
Alternatively, a single donation can be made, or you may wish to organize a donation amongst your group of alumni friends.
Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a big difference and help to shape the future of our great school.
3) LEAVING A Legacy
Supporting King’s with a gift or donation in your Will has a lasting impact on future generations. Whilst some people will not be in a position to make a contribution in their lifetime, leaving a legacy from your estate can be a wonderful final tribute to King’s: a gift that will endure.
In general, legacy gifts made to King’s during your lifetime or on your death, are exempt from Inheritance Tax. Bequests made to charities can be deducted from the net value of your Estate, which reduces your Inheritance Tax liability. A solicitor is the best person to advise on this and will be able to help you decide what would be right for you.
We have partnered with Tayntons Solicitors in Gloucester (where Club 1541 member and current parent, Christopher Price, is a Senior Partner), who can provide you with advice and a free will-making service.
Professor David Edwards,
a behavioural neuroscientist now living in America, spent two terms at King’s in 1959 and 1960.
In 2023, on his first visit back to the school, he recalled his time at King’s.
My education at King’s is one of the happiest times in my life. It was pivotal; an experience and memories that I carry with me every day. Coming back feels like home.
From chapel every morning in the Cathedral, to the inspiring teachers, to the friends I made, playing basketball and rugby, the uniform ... all of these memories have shaped my life, and for that I will be forever grateful.
My message for the pupils today is - embrace your education, it’s a privilege to be at King’s and receive this incredible all-round education, so enjoy every minute of your time here. I’d love to be a pupil at King’s again!”
The Gift HOW TO SUPPORT
If you would like to support the King’s Gift, please scan the QR code below or you can email Nick Gilbert via n.gilbert@thekingsschool.co.uk or call 01452 337337, if you would like to discuss options.
The Headmaster meets alumni every week and would be delighted to make your acquaintance too. Whether you are considering making a donation or not, but would like to discuss the options with the Headmaster, please email headmaster@thekingsschool.co.uk.
