LATEST NEWS……

We are so very thankful to our parents for their kindness and generosity, and are delighted to be able to report that, with your support, we have already met this year’s target, protecting crucial curriculum resources, trips and exciting school experiences for the year ahead.  We are now busy agreeing how the school will allocate this to the very best effect by the beginning of the Autumn term.

We would also like to thank parents for their ongoing support at FOSJ events and for the many generous offers of people’s time – allowing the School to deliver a new gardening club, breakfast music club, extra reading with children and continuing Code Club.  Your help really is making an enormous impact.

What are we and what do we hope to achieve?

What is the Friends of St John’s Plus (FOSJ+) and how is it different to the Friends of St John’s? 

FOSJ+ is an extension of the fundraising work of the School’s existing fundraising charity, the Friends of St John’s (FOSJ), which gives parents wishing to do so, a new and different way to support the school.

The programme of activities and events that are organised and run each year by the FOSJ will continue to run as usual, and are unaffected by the addition of FOSJ+. These events are important, not only for fundraising, but because they bring the school community together outside of school hours – laying on a cinema night for KS1 and a disco for KS2 children, getting parents and carers together socially at the summer social, auction and quiz nights, and bringing families together at the much loved, Christmas Fair and football tournaments.  FOSJ will continue to seek your help and support at these important school events, which contribute towards making St John’s the warm and welcoming environment that it has always been to children and their families.  FOSJ will also continue to fund the on-going programme of support to extra-curricular activity and educational enrichment that it has always funded (eg contribution to Year 6 PGL, supporting Shakespeare in Year 5, in class newspapers/reading resources and so on).

FOSJ+ is a mechanism for parents to donate to the school directly – recognising that some people have said that they find it increasingly difficult to juggle work, home and taking part in events, but would still like to support the school in other ways. It also enables the school to claim Gift Aid on these donations.

The objective of the FOSJ, through its fundraising activities, as set out in its constitution, has always been: “to advance the education of the pupils of the school by providing and assisting in the provision of facilities for education at the school (either not adequately or not provided by the Local Education Authority)”.  FOSJ+ operates as an arm of FOSJ and therefore works to the same constitution and objectives.

So, whilst FOSJ+ is new to St John’s, fundraising for large-scale improvement projects is not. Over the years, generous FOSJ funding has financed improvements to the reception playground, lighting in the hall, benches for the football pitch and the provision of new IPads.  So what we are hoping, is not to create more direct fund raising pressure on the parent body (the programme of events that FOSJ already delivers already does this effectively), just for those people who would like to, to help us in a new way, which will help the school in forward planning.

Where did the idea for FOSJ+ come from?

Over the past few years, several parents have suggested the idea of the school accepting donations as a simple way to make regular financial contributions to the school outside of the normal fund raising model. This simple idea was developed and researched in the context of what other schools are doing (Yerbury Primary is an example). These threads came together to form the rationale for setting up the FOSJ+.

But if we have FOSJ, why do we need FOSJ+?

Well, firstly, it is at present very difficult for us to claim Gift Aid on the income generated by the FOSJ, this is because charities can only claim Gift Aid on direct donations.  They cannot claim Gift Aid on payments for goods and services or even donations where there may be seen to be a benefit to the donor (in these cases, Gift Aid can only be claimed on the portion of a “donation” above the cost of any benefit received by the donor, and within certain maximum values.)  Because most of the fund raising undertaken by FOSJ generally involves the purchase of goods or a service in exchange for donations eg a visit to see Santa at the Christmas Fair, the purchase of drinks from a bar, purchase of a ticket for a quiz or a disco, face painting etc, the majority of our fundraising effort is ineligible for Gift Aid.

FOSJ+ allows parents/carers/interested community members to make a direct donation to the charity.  Direct donations, from which no benefit is received by the donor personally, ARE eligible for Gift Aid, allowing the charity to reclaim back 25p in tax of every £1 donated to us providing the donor is a UK tax payer and has made a Gift Aid Declaration.  It also recognises that not everyone might wish to, or be able to, help out at fundraising events or activities or might wish simply to provide additional financial support at a time of ever shrinking core budgets, to help the school to continue to provide an enriching learning environment for the children.

Secondly, schools across the Country are facing sustained budget cuts and are therefore facing reductions in the real term money we receive from government. We want to take action now to ensure that, despite this, we are able to continue to improve the educational experience of our children. Whilst the Governing body and the Headteacher of St John’s school have managed to mitigate this pressure for the past 5 years, ongoing budget constraints have meant that in order to protect the highest educational standards at the school well into the future, a more long term sustainable plan of action was needed.  Safeguarding a robust staffing structure was our priority, and Governors and the Headteacher are confident that this will be achieved and follows good practice across other one form entry schools.  However, focusing available resource on staffing came at the cost of resources for materials, trips, extra-curricular activities and capital improvements to the classrooms, and it is in these areas that we need additional financial help, beyond that which we are able to raise at FOSJ events, and where your donations will be invaluable.

One off or regular giving? 

We have been asked whether it is more helpful to the school for prospective donors to give a one off donation or to make a regular monthly donation.  The first point to note is that there is no obligation for anyone to give.  This is a voluntary option for people who wish to support the school in this way. ALL forms of support to the school are equally welcomed and equally valued, so if you prefer to continue to volunteer at a school trip, take a slot on the rota at the summer social, or come along to the school quiz, this support is still equally valid.  If, however, you choose to donate, all forms of giving are also welcome, and will be put to good use by the school.  However, the benefit of a regular donation over 2-3 years for example, is that it may be more manageable for the donor and it allows the school to plan ahead with some surety of income.  The value of one off fundraisers and one off donations will vary year on year, and so it can be difficult to rely on in budget setting terms.  We will continue to need this income to purchase one off capital items such as lighting, redecorations etc, but we also need some certainty around purchasing of ongoing items such as stationery, school trips, in class resources and so on.

If you do decide to give, whichever way you choose to do so – we would be grateful if you could please also ensure that you (1) complete a pledge form, advising us whether you intend to make a one off donation or to give regularly, and how much and for how long, if this is the route you decide. And (2) Complete a Gift Aid form – so that we can claim Gift Aid on your donation (remember this enables us to reclaim 25p for EVERY £1 you donate).

Pledge/Gift Aid forms can be obtained from the school office, or are available here FOSJ+ Pledge Form

How much should I donate?

The decision to give rests with parents and carers alone, as does the amount you might be able to spare or wish to give.  But as a guide: if Islington Council didn’t provide free school meals to all Islington children, parents/carers at the school would be required to pay just under £3 (£2.77) a day towards the cost of a child’s school lunch.  This equates to about £40 a month – this is what you save by having a child at an Islington school.  You might therefore think about pledging this as a starting point.  If parents of just one quarter of St John’s families made a regular contribution equivalent to the cost of a daily school meal, the school would receive around £30,000 a year.

Of course other amounts are equally welcome, and below are some examples of what different amounts might enable us to buy:

• A one off donation of £50 helps to buy classroom resources including stationery and textbooks;
• A one off donation of £100 or around £10 per month helps buy musical instruments, art materials or sports equipment;
• £250 helps pay for IT equipment such as interactive whiteboards, a digital camera, software licences or mobile apps;
• £500 buys one year group’s reading books or phonics training materials
• £3000 buys the school’s curriculum resources for Physical, Social, Health and Economics (PHSE) lessons

(NB It should be noted that it is illegal for the School to accept donations towards staffing costs.  As this could lead to a conflict of interests.)

Please be assured that donations are absolutely voluntary and confidential.  The money raised will always be put towards ensuring that St John’s children continue to receive an excellent and enriching education.

 Is it right that parents are subsidising schools?

In an ideal world, schools would not have to ask parents for any donations as state funding would be plentiful, and initiatives that create better learning environments for our children would be funded. However, in the current climate, we have to be realistic. School funding (along with funding in most other public sectors), has been steadily declining in recent years and with no sign of abating. St John’s and its Governing Body work hard to manage increasingly tight budgets with careful accounting, reducing costs that least impact on pupils, and seeking additional revenue streams and financial efficiencies. However, there is only so much cutting that can be done before our children’s school experience is affected.  A creative, inspirational, inclusive and enjoyable school experience for all is fundamental to our values – and we want to preserve this.

 Are any other schools doing this?

Many primary and secondary schools across the country have established a Foundation or a donation mechanism to increase fund raising. Local schools such as Yerbury Primary, Thornhill Primary, Canonbury and William Tyndale have done this for many years, allowing them to cover various activities including: developing special art, music and IT provisions, making significant playground improvements, and supporting an inclusive annual residential farm trip for all year five pupils.

Who decides which projects and initiatives will be funded by the money FOSJ/FOSJ+ raises?

The School’s strategic spending priorities are identified by the Governing Body and the Headteacher. The Headteacher is also the President of FOSJ, and each year two Governors are appointed to the FOSJ Committee.  Objectives for FOSJ spending for the year ahead are discussed and agreed at its AGM in the Autumn term of each school year. A meeting which all parents at the school are invited to attend. This ensures that spending priorities for FOSJ are aligned with the strategic financial needs of the school.  Spending priorities for income raised through FOSJ+, which is an arm of FOSJ, will be governed in the same way.

I don’t wish to make a donation but would like to support the School; what can I do?

There are many many ways that you can help. For example:

• Ask at your workplace if they run any Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or community initiatives, and find out whether they might want to consider supporting our projects.
• If you know anyone who is planning a personal challenge – be it a marathon, an organised race, a triathlon, a trek – and is looking for a charity to support, then they can raise money for the FOSJ+.
• If you own or know any local businesses that might be interested in sponsorship or marketing opportunities with our school community, please let us know.
• Turn up to and help out at fund raising events.
• Hire Maberly Hall or the Pitch for your children’s birthday parties.
• Become a class rep, a treasurer or Chair of FOSJ in the future
• Contribute skills or time to the school day, such as reading with children, or taking school teams to matches.
• If your child is eligible for free school meals, register with Islington Council so St John’s can get the right pupil funding. See this link: https://www.islington.gov.uk/children-and-families/benefits-and-financial-support/free-school-meals-and-uniform-grant