Annual Fund 2011

“There can be no better investment than in education and in the future stewards of our country. As a parent, former student or friend of BRGS, you will understand that we place students at the heart of the school, and their learning environment and educational development are of paramount importance. Any gift you are able to make to our Annual Fund will help us to benefit our current students by facilitating discovery, realising potential and by forging life-long friendships here at BRGS.

We appreciate the economic circumstances affecting many families and are grateful for your support in prioritising the education of our children. Thank you.”
Trevor Elkington, Acting Headmaster

Our Annual Fund will continue for 2011/12 to fund similar, essential projects which directly benefit our students’ learning environment.

Annual Fund Brochure 2011-12

Priorities for 2011-12

A 21st Century School

One of the attractions of BRGS is the distinctive traditional building dating back to 1913 which holds many fond memories for alumni and current students. However, the age of the building can at times prove to be costly, requiring a programme of care involving roof and window replacements, better access for those with disabilities, the enhancing of site security and also ensuring that we continue to meet health and safety requirements. Our budget to cover property and ground maintenance is £45,000, a reduction of 23% this year.

We pay particular attention the grounds surrounding the school, and have an additional all-weather pitch to be shared with Waterfoot Primary School. Our active Eco- Schools Group has also been busy in planting wild flowerbeds in a number of areas around the school.

In October/November 2011 in partnership with Lancashire County Council we shall complete building work on a six classroom block which will be dedicated to the English Faculty. This will be a fantastic and much-needed addition to our teaching space and with time, we shall be able to remove all of our temporary building stock on the school site to ensure that teaching spaces are fit for purpose.

Through Lancashire County Council, outline planning permission was granted in early 2009 for a new Performing Arts Centre. Although this scheme has been in the pipeline for a number of years and is of the utmost importance to the school, at the present time there appears to be no funding available through the County Council to develop this exciting facility. We shall continue to pursue different funding avenues but it is likely that we may need to depend on the generosity of friends of BRGS who have set a precedent for
supporting us at a significant level in enabling the successful funding and completion of the Sports Hall.

It is essential that our vision for a Performing Arts Centre is realised: any audience member at recent theatrical and musical productions will have witnessed the wealth of ability we have in this field and how such a facility would allow us to nurture our talented creative students.

As we approach our Centenary in 2013 further information about fundraising for a Performing Arts Centre will follow.

Extending teaching & learning

Looking forward, we have a continual programme for updating outdated resources, sourcing new
and original equipment and enhancing many of our facilities. With ever-tightening budgets, school finances cannot always stretch to some of the ‘added extras’ which departments would like to provide for students, which is where the Annual Fund is invaluable.

With your support, we should like to invest in the following:

• IT facilities which require constant investment to ensure that equipment moves with the times and meets curriculum and student need. For 2011-2012 (financial year) computers and upgrades alone are estimated at £50,231, which is notwithstanding an investment of £52,415 into new computers and ICT facilities in the new English Faculty classroom block. In many schools parents are asked to contribute to the funding of their son /daughter’s laptops or netbooks. One of our neighbouring grammar schools requests that all parents pay over £400 over three years (a monthly instalment of approximately £12) to fund their child’s IT access whilst reducing the financial burden on the school. At the end of the three years the student is able to keep the netbook - at which point it will probably require upgrading.
  Here at BRGS we trust our experienced IT network team to invest funds equitably to ensure that all students are using the required hardware and software and that computing facilities are part of a rolling upgrade programme. However, contributions from parents and friends of the school through the Annual Fund help to make this possible.
• Continued investment in our ‘Music Tuition for All’ scheme whereby each lower school student from Years 7-9 receives free instrumental tuition. Students have not only mastered new skills and the pleasure of making music but it is widely reported that learning how to play a musical instrument improves concentration, listening, reading and comprehension ability, mathematical perception, coordination and a capacity to maintain a relaxed focus. The instruments used by students require constant upgrade, repair and maintenance at an annual cost of £5,000. Our experienced peripatetic music teachers cost £89,500 per annum for all of their music teaching across Years 7-13.
  Your contributions have enabled us to continue running our ‘Music Tuition for All’ scheme and we hope that you will continue to support this excellent programme.
• Additional sports equipment to support the introduction of new field events.
• Investment into the science faculty with the projected remodelling of two rooms on the balcony into science laboratories. Each laboratory is likely to cost in the region of £50,000.

After these new building developments we hope to be able to remodel existing teaching areas within the school such as our music classrooms.

Reflecting on our recent developments and achievements

From our multi-purpose Sports Hall to our remodelled Sixth Form Centre we have been able to work in partnership with former students and parents over the past six years to fund developments to meet student need. Additional facilities funded through our Annual Fund have included a well-used grand piano in the school hall, a range of musical instruments, sports equipment, interactive whiteboards and a whole host of IT facilities

If you would like to support our Annual Fund, please do download the brochure which contains a donation form and additional information.

Thank you for your support.