st albans school foundation annual report 2009-2010

Many OAs have responded with remarkable generosity to thechallenge of helping their alma mater to hold its place in the frontrank of independent schools, whilst remaining true to its historicroots in providing opportunities for bright young people to excel,whatever their family circumstances. That calls for an answeringclarity and transparency in explaining how their generosity isbeing deployed, which is the purpose of this report.

In the pages that follow, you will learn how funds raised by theFoundation are already benefiting pupils at the School, beginningwith the new Physics laboratories made possible by a major grantfrom the Wolfson Foundation.

2011 opens at an exciting moment in theSchool’s development: work on the Sports Halland Swimming Pool - more than a decade in theplanning - began in February and although thisproject, which rivals Woollams in scale andambition, will be fully funded from other sources,its completion will make possible otherdevelopments for which the help of theFoundation will be vital.

As you read about these, and about our commitment to bursaries,to ensure that as many able young people as possible can benefitfrom an education here, I hope that those who have alreadysupported the Foundation will accept the grateful thanks of theSchool community and feel inspired to continue, while those whohave not yet made a commitment might be persuaded to do so infuture, whether as a one-off gift, a regular contribution, or thepledge of a legacy.

I offer you my very best wishes for a happyand prosperous 2011.

Andrew GrantHeadmaster

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p3 Headmaster’s Introductionp4 Summary of Donationsp6 The Bursary Fundp8 The Capital Development Programmep10 The Music Studiosp12 The Wolfson Physics Labsp14 Examples of Special Projects

Contentsp16 Some of our Donors p18 Report from the Bursarp20 From the Development Officep22 Update: The Capital Development Programmep26 Acknowledgments: Our Supportersp28 The Gateway Societyp32 Donation Form

As the St Albans School Foundationenters its third year of existence, I amdelighted to be able to report agrowing success story.

As you will see in the ensuingdocument, from a standing start, weare already over a third of the way toour first million, in addition to pledges of legacies, which of coursecannot as yet be quantified.

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Annual Report NEW LAYOUT:. 6/4/11 15:04 Page 4

Foundation Income

The St Albans School Foundation has raised a total of £368,391 to date. During the financialyear 2009 - 2010 the Foundation received donations of £128,740 and in the first six monthsof the current financial year we have already raised £151,695.

Bursary Fund

Emergency Hardship Fund

Capital Development Programme

Other Special Projects

Summary of donations

We are indebted to all those who felt able to support our efforts, particularly in such a challenging economic climate. A list of all oursupporters is included on page 27.

Donations made since September 2010 will be allocated at the end of the financial year in August 2011, and theprojects supported will be illustrated in our next Annual Report.

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Bursary Fund: £40,016This equates to an additional 15% bursary every year in perpetuity.

Emergency Hardship Fund: £12,690This will provide three terms’ fees for pupils who wouldotherwise have to leave the School due to unexpectedfinancial hardship.

Capital Development Programme: £55,963This allows us to make significant progress on plans forthe Abbey Gateway, providing a new Reception area,creating space for 4 new classrooms, a new kitchen andWC facilities and lift access to all rooms in the Gateway.

Special Projects: £20,072This includes the creation of a new music technology andrecording studio, instruments for the School’s newpercussion ensemble, a new sound system for the Dramadepartment in the New Hall, books for the Library, andthe refurbishment of the War Memorial.

Allocation of donations made between September 2009 – September 2010



Nonetheless, the bursary fund currently supports some 60-odd pupils at a total cost of over half-a-million pounds per annum.

Around 40% of these pupils have their fees remittedcompletely. Once they are here, nothing distinguishes abursary holder from any other pupil; even I would not know,without looking it up, that they were receiving financialsupport, so there is no stigma or embarrassment of anykind attached to an award.

Is the investment vindicated?A brief and unscientific survey of the past decade revealsamong our bursary holders at least one Head of School,many prefects, captains of various sports - indeed severalinternational sportsmen and women - and almost invariableentry to top universities, including a significant number ofOxbridge places.

I am confident that, had they not come to this School butgone to a place with lower expectations, these gifted youngpeople might have found such doors, if not firmly closed tothem, certainly much more reluctant to open - a waste oftalent the country cannot afford.

I hope you will agree that the answer to the question abovemust, then, be a resounding ”yes!” and that you willseriously consider contributing to that investment.

Emergency Hardship FundIn the course of any year we are always confronted with anumber of pupils whose families have suddenly fallen intofinancial difficulty and are no longer able to pay the Schoolfees. This might be due to bereavement, redundancy,bankruptcy or a host of other circumstances.

We are committed to supporting thesefamilies through such difficult times, andmost importantly, to avoid at all costs thenecessity for any pupil to leave the Schoolmid-way through a course leading to apublic examination.

It is hard to overestimate the impact that such support canhave on both the pupil and their family at these most stressfuland uncertain times. With limited funds, however, we aresometimes forced to make difficult decisions about whoshould benefit from the support available. Thus it was decidedthat £12,690, the equivalent of three terms’ fees, should beallocated to the Emergency Hardship Fund this year.

Your gifts have already helped a number of pupils whosefamily life has been affected by difficult circumstances tobenefit from continuity, community and pastoral care byretaining their place here.

The Bursary FundBursaries

The bursary programme will strike a chord with many OAs who attended the Schoolduring the twentieth century as beneficiariesof the Direct Grant Scheme which offeredthe chance of a superb independent schooleducation to bright boys, irrespective of theirparents’ financial circumstances.

Now, in the absence of any state support,the bursary fund is vital to preserving themixture of academic and extra-curricularexcellence with social diversity that is socentral a part of St Albans School’s historicmission and character.

Headmaster Andrew Grant tells us moreabout the bursary programme.

How does a bursary differ from a scholarship?A scholarship is awarded purely on academic merit to themost exceptional candidates each year without regard tofamily financial circumstances, is of relatively nominalfinancial value, but is a publicly celebrated distinction.

A bursary, which is means-tested, is entirelyconfidential and, depending on parentalincome, may cover up to 100% of the feeswithout regard to ability beyond qualifyingfor entry to the School.

The financial circumstances of existing bursary holders are reviewed each subsequent year and the award adjusted accordingly.

Bursaries may be used to top up scholarships and vice-versa and the fact that they often do is testimony tojust how often the intellectual ability to excel at a school ofthis kind could be thwarted by an inability to meet the fees.

How are bursaries awarded?The process of making bursary awards on initial admissionto the School is always fraught with difficult decisions butin the absence of infinitely elastic funds this is inevitableand we try to make the system as fair as possible, withinthe constraints that bind us.

After making provision for academically qualified youngersiblings of existing bursary holders, bursaries are awardedaccording to rank order in the relevant entrance examinationuntil the money runs out. This is the only respect in whichbursaries are dependent on academic merit, but inevitably,the greater the financial needs of the highest performers, thefewer candidates overall will benefit from an award and,always, the money runs out too soon.

Each year, therefore, local pupils who, in the days of theDirect Grant or its successor, the Assisted Places Scheme,would have gone on to successful careers here andultimately, no doubt, become proud OAs, are unable to come.


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“ “High quality education and opportunity should be available to all bright children regardless of theireconomic circumstances. This is one of the tenets upon which St Albans School was originally founded.

As a child of the Direct Grant system I was lucky enough to benefit from this and it has been aconsiderable influence, for which I am very grateful. I want to contribute to that tradition andphilosophy: hence I’m pleased to be able to offer my support to the Bursary scheme.

Philip Rattle (OA 1983) supporter of the Bursary Fund

Thanks to your generosity, the Foundation has this year added £40,016 to the Bursary Fund, from which the interest alone will fund a 15% Bursary each year in perpetuity, and £12,690to the Emergency Hardship Fund.

HardshipFund


Capital Development Programme: Early Progress on the Gateway Project

In 2007, architect Ptolemy Dean wascommissioned by the School to carry out an‘Outline Architectural Review’ of the mainhistoric site.

Here he talks about his ideas andenthusiasm for works to improve access toand preserve the Abbey Gateway, one of theprojects which make up his ‘Masterplan’ forthe School site.

Why the Gateway?What became immediately apparent as we began the studywas that the front of the School is architecturallysymbolised by the Abbey Gateway and its handsome UpperYard courtyard.

However on arrival at the School there is no obvious ‘frontdoor’, and the Reception area is cramped and hard to find.At the same time, concern has been expressed about accessto the rooms within the Abbey Gateway.

The two ancient turret staircases are full of character butare challenging for increasingly onerous fire escapestandards, while the two western staircases near to theEnglish Departments are precipitously steep.

Alongside this is the ongoing need for more classroom space in a growingSchool teaching an increasing array of subjects.

To put up more buildings on an already crowded andhistoric site is expensive and less than ideal, and when wesaw the size and potential of the Gateway’s unused atticspaces it became obvious that this was a fantasticopportunity to create additional space in a way that wasless intrusive and more economical than a new building,whilst helping to preserve and reduce impact on thisscheduled ancient monument.

What are the main aims of the project?To create a spacious and welcoming Reception area for the School

To improve access to all floors of the Gateway, allowingthe historic Gateway rooms to be used for seminars,concerts, and other functions, whilst reducing impact onthe ancient building and conforming to modern fireescape standards.

To create space for administrative offices by developingthe vast but currently unused attic spaces in theGateway, which in turn creates space for a number ofnew classrooms in School House.

Installing a lift to create disabled access to all rooms inthe Gateway

What progress has been made so far?A generous donation towards the project was made byDavid Thompson (OA 1958) which allowed us to commissionfull architects’ plans from the initial sketches.

David explains “In 1955-57 I spent my last two years at theSchool in the Sixth Arts Lower and Upper Forms whichoccupied the top floor of the Gateway. Both the classroomsand the Memorial Library had been recently renovated bythe generosity of donors to the 1948 Millennium Campaign.

Our generation benefitted greatly from the education wereceived in this fourteenth century building so I am pleasedto contribute to a renovation of the Gateway that will assistfuture generations of students at St. Albans School.”

Once these plans had been drawn up, the generous supportof the Old Albanian Club and other gifts pledged to theCapital Development Programme are allowing us to takethe project forward to local Planning and English Heritagefor their approval.

Whilst this project is self-contained and theoretically couldhappen concurrently with the other planned buildingprojects on site, in reality the build is constrained by lack offunding, and as such its final completion is likely to besome years away.

However it does break down easily into three ‘phases’, andit is expected that ‘Phase 1’ comprising the new Receptionarea will proceed as soon as funding allows. Phase 2 willinclude the creation of the grand staircase and exposing themasonry of the western wall, and then Phase 3 willcomplete the project with the conversion of the attic spaces.


CapitalDevelopmentProgramme

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Thanks to your generosity the Foundation has this year invested £55,963 into the Capital Development Programme.


The Music Studios

The Music Department has long been‘punching above its weight’, with restrictedfacilities in terms of rehearsal space,instruments and new technology belied bybreathtaking choir performances at weeklyassemblies and School events, orchestraland choral society performances ofastonishing quality in conjunction with theHigh School for Girls, a thriving stringorchestra, wind band, barbershop group,jazz band, clarinet and saxophoneensembles, and a string of leavers winningChoral Scholarships at Oxford andCambridge.

For this reason, music has been a particularfocus for this first year of allocatingFoundation funds within the School, andJames describes how one generous gift hasmade an enormous impact on thedepartment with the creation of theJennings Studio, and how your donationshave already taken the project into itssecond phase with a new recording studio.

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“Can you tell us about new Music Studios?The first bit to be completed was the Jennings Studio, whichhas ten new keyboards all linked up to computers with somebrilliant editing software.

This is mainly used by GCSE and A-level groups, and is alsoavailable for anyone to work on other projects in their owntime. We can literally play music into the machine then printout professional quality scores immediately.

The next stage was a brand new recording studio in whatused to be a very basic PC suite, which containsmicrophones, recording software and an iMac.

The equipment is all top of the range andyou can really tell the difference when youcompare the results to recordings we madea few years ago. We now have the ability toproduce high quality recordings of multipleinstruments in a flash.

How are the new facilities helping with your A-level Music?It has completely transformed how we work. The newtechnology in the Jennings Studio makes it much faster andeasier to compose, and you can be more creative with atrial and error process – if you think a saxophone mightsound good playing a particular line you can add it in, seehow it sounds, and then turn it into French horns at thetouch of a button and try that instead.

The Recording Studio makes a huge difference and it’sgreat that we can use it outside of lessons for personalprojects – I’ve recorded a lot of my own songs in there –we never had anything like it before and I had to go to afriend’s house to do the same thing.

The software is so good I’ve just got it on my computer athome so I can record a song at School then take it home ona memory stick and work on it from there. And it’s not justexam groups using the facilities – there are often peopleusing the studios during break or lunch, transposing a piece ofWind Band music for their instrument at the touch of a button,arranging a piece for the Barbershop Group or bands tryingout some new ideas.

So quite a change from the old equipment?Definitely – for my GCSE Music we were still using the oldcomputers and keyboards and everything was pretty slowand time-consuming. I’ve finished all my AS Musiccomposition coursework in four weeks as it’s so muchquicker and easier to work with the new software.

It also means lessons are much more productive – workthat would have previously taken an entire lesson we cannow finish in 15 minutes and move on to something else,(which I think should mean less homework, but thatdoesn’t seem to be the case....!).

The Foundation has also funded some new percussion instruments, have you heard them in action?Yes – you can’t really miss them around the MusicDepartment! We’ve got a new glockenspiel, a xylophone, aset of bongos and congas, a cowbell, shaker and all sorts ofother instruments and it means the School now has its firstever Percussion Ensemble! More and more people arehaving percussion lessons at School now so it’s good tohave a range of instruments rather than just a drum kit.

James Mohajer is a typical modern Albanian: enthusiastic and articulate, and engaged in manydifferent School activities. Studying for A-levels in Music, French, Biology and Ancient History,he is an active member of the ‘Partnership Scheme’, working with local primary schools, aswell as playing guitar and singing in various bands. James is in the Lower Sixth at St Albans.

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The Wolfson Physics Labs

In April 2009 thanks to a generous grant of£50,000 from The Wolfson Foundation, twoof the School’s physics labs underwent along overdue makeover and were equippedwith top-of-the-range lab equipment.

Geraint explains how the benefits have beenimmediate and far-reaching.

Geraint Northwood Smith is facing imminent A levels in Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Ancient History with a view to taking up one of his offers to read Physics at university. A Prefect and member of the School’s Shooting Team, he is also Head of Royal Engineers forthe CCF. Geraint is in the Upper Sixth at St Albans.

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What were the labs like before the refurbishment?They were pretty basic, more like normal classrooms thanlabs really. Despite this, the Physics Department was stillgetting some fantastic results, but the labs were in need ofsome attention. One of the biggest problems was thatwithout computers in labs, classes were constantly havingto move to other classrooms half way through lessons touse computers – you would take some readings from apractical experiment then have to go to another classroomto record and analyse the results on computers, whichwasted quite a lot of time and was fairly disruptive.

What has changed?A great deal! Two of the labs were completely re-fitted withnew benches, stools, good quality power supplies and gastaps, interactive whiteboards and there are 18 newcomputers across the two labs. We’ve got some brilliantsoftware to use on topics like radioactivity, EM waves,mechanics and heat transfer, with great visual explanationsof what’s going on. We use the new datalogging equipmenta lot – basically an upgrade to what would have been donewith ‘ticker-timers’ and thermometers, using light gates andsensors which transfer data straight into Excel where we cananalyse it. Some of this equipment is used in universities andby professional scientists, so for those of us thinking ofstudying science at university it’s a great opportunity.

We also got some dynamics ramps for analysing motion – youcan get almost friction-free motion on them, which is used forstudying Newton’s Laws at both GCSE and A-level, and somePlanck’s Constant apparatus - a key experiment on the A-levelcourse as an introduction to the world of quantum mechanics.It’s a pretty difficult area of physics to get to grips with, sosome very up-to-date apparatus like this makes all thedifference for us to get hands-on with the topic.

We also now have 12 Laser kits which are great forstudying optics at GCSE and A-level – now that technologyhas improved its far more affordable for Schools to havelasers like this, and the results we get are much clearer thanwith the filament light bulbs we had to use before, so wecan concentrate on the results instead of struggling to getthe experiment to work.

And is all this flashy equipment actually makinga difference to physics students?Definitely – it means that we get far more accurate andreliable data from experiments which makes a hugedifference, particularly at A-level, and it also saves a lot oftime in lessons and practicals. The software explains thingsin a very visual way which makes topics which can be fairlyabstract far easier to understand.

Generally everything is just a bit easier – less moving around from the labs tocomputer rooms, less time fiddling aroundwith older apparatus, less time wonderingwhether strange results in experiments arebecause of dodgy equipment or in fact aninteresting scientific phenomenon!

So this is good news for Physics at St Albans School?This new equipment is really good fun to use, like the lasersfor example – everyone loves gadgets, and the more funphysics lessons are the more likely people are to be reallyinterested in it and to consider taking it up at A-level or university. Who knows, we might have the next StephenHawking in the making!

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““The Wolfson Foundation invests in excellence, by the provision of infrastructure through which it can flourish.

We were very pleased to fund the thriving Physics Department at St Albans School, noting the high uptake of sciencesubjects at A-level and strong tradition of pupils going on to study science and engineering at University. We hope thatour investment will help to continue this tradition of excellence and inspire the next generation of scientists.

Paul Ramsbottom OA and former Head of School Chief Executive, The Wolfson Foundation



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Library The School Library was remembered fondly by Dr AntonyHarrison-Barbet (OA 1955), and so, on the sad news of hisdeath in May 2009, it was poignant to receive a generousbequest from his estate towards the purchase of books.

Over 500 books have been purchased, including suchdiverse titles as How Loud Can You Burp? and OtherExtremely Important Questions (and Answers) from theScience Museum; Judiciary, Civil Liberties and Human Rights;The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer; Will Jellyfish Rulethe World? A Book About Climate Change; How Free areYou? The Determinism Problem; Who’s Whose? A No-nonsense Guide to Easily Confused Words; Saving theEuropean Union: the Logic of the Lisbon Treaty; Cicero andthe End of the Roman Republic; Guesstimation: Solving theWorld’s Problems on the Back of a Cocktail Napkin; andPrime Minister: The Job and Its Holders Since 1945.

Sound System in New HallThe building we still call the ‘New Hall’, despite its beingsome 43 years old, is a multi-function space which, as wellas being the lunch hall, is also used for lectures, assemblies,concerts and productions. You will have read earlier in thisreport about our plans to turn the Hall into a dedicatedPerforming Arts Centre, but in the short term there was areal need for an improved sound system to replace theoutdated and unreliable equipment.

The Foundation has funded the purchase of new soundequipment which was installed in the summer of 2010 and is already in daily use.

Director of Drama, Peter Yates explains: This was a great opportunity to install some excellentequipment and with the Foundation’s help we have beenable to buy very high-spec speakers, microphones andamplification which means not only is the systemcompletely reliable - with excellent sound output forassemblies, concerts, lectures and musical shows - but alsoit is a long-term investment which will be integral to a highquality Performing Arts Centre in the years to come.

War Memorial A number of Old Albanians visiting the School lastNovember for the Service of Remembrance commented onthe rather shabby state of the War Memorial and railings.

The Memorial holds particular poignancy for the yeargroups who were invited to this service, as the OldAlbanians who fell in the Second World War were in manycases classmates, friends or siblings. Foundation funds haveallowed the railings to be stripped and repainted, and thestonework cleaned.

Examples of Special Projects

The Foundation has this year invested £20,072 in a number of smaller projects throughout the school.


The criteria for choosing which of these projects to fund was based on providing immediateand widespread benefit, whilst demonstrating value for money – ensuring that every penny ofyour donations is making a real and lasting impact on the day to day running of the School.


Some of our Donors

Stephen Males QC (OA 1974)I’ve supported the Foundation because Ibenefited from the School as a DirectGrant pupil in ways that would nototherwise have been possible. We movedaround a fair bit as I was growing up,but of all the schools which I attended itwas probably St Albans which made thebiggest difference.

Chris Fewkes (OA 1957)I’ve supported the St Albans SchoolFoundation because although I have nooffspring, I feel that I am contributing,particularly to those of modest meansbut with potential, to enlarge theiraccess to a thorough education in amodern, well adapted and soundlyequipped environment.

John Meulkens (OA 1935)I’ve supported the St Albans SchoolFoundation because of the nostalgic andhappy memories I’ve always had of mydays at the School, of Headmaster W. T.Marsh, and the many sympathetic andexcellent teachers who through theirknowledge and dedication paved theway for the development of my career.But most importantly to ensure that theSchool’s future academic achievements,sports successes and services to thecommunity at large will be greater andgreater, so that past, present and futurestudents will be proud to have had theireducation at this particular School.

Jake Stupart (OA 1990)I’ve supported the St Albans SchoolFoundation because through theAssisted Places Scheme. I receiveda superb academic education and hadthe framework provided to excel at sportand I’d like to provide opportunities forothers to have the same opportunity.

Tony Dalwood (OA 1989)I’ve supported the St Albans SchoolFoundation because I believe both in thegeneral welfare a top notch educationprovides and, more specifically, inpersonally returning something to theschool that provided me with a platformto develop my areas of interest -academic, sporting and social.

Chris Rolfe (OA 1974)I’ve supported the St Albans SchoolFoundation because generations of pupilshave learned from their teachers but alsobenefitted from the many and variousinvestments made by benefactors of theSchool in earlier times. This combinationhas produced a successful and balancededucation for many, myself included. By helping the School to make furtherlong term investments, I’m delighted tohelp ensure it continues in this way.

The Class of 1960We’ve supported the St Albans School Foundation becausewe all recognised that our individual successes were builton a solid foundation of enlightened education. We hopeour support will encourage the next generation of OldAlbanians to take advantage of the present and in turn tomaintain mutual friendships for at least the next 50 years.

Old Albanians tell us about their motivation to support the St Albans School Foundation.



I am glad to report that the School and theFoundation are financially secure and prudentlymanaged, despite the tarnish that word hasreceived since the reign of Gordon Brown.

The Governors have a clear strategy for thefinancial wellbeing of the School, based on theprinciples of a charitable company, ensuring asuitable surplus is generated each year to enable continued investment in maintenance and bursary provision.

This is not to say that the School enjoys a largeendowment, which considering our metamorphosisfrom a Direct Grant school, is not unusual.

Our continued academic success,coupled with a relatively benignlocal demographic backdrop,ensure that we continue to have afull school roll and sufficientdemand to ensure academicstandards are maintained.

2010 marks the start of a rolling capital buildprogramme where the School is able to fund thefirst phase from available funds, withoutadditional borrowing. This is a significantachievement considering the resources to hand.Further phases of the capital programme willhappen in time, as funding is available. This programme is essential to ensure that ourphysical facilities match our academic prowessand also match or exceed the facilities on offerelsewhere in the area, both state andIndependent.

Lastly it is worth expressly mentioning ourcharitable status and the obligations this placeson the School, in terms of transparency, publicaccountability and governance. Our annual resultsare published on the Charity Commission websiteand at Companies House and all our activities areregulated by the Charity Commission.

The Bursar, Derek Todd, has been in post for over four years, joining in 2007 from a career including senior financial roles in FMCG and manufacturing industry before moving to a major lottery funded educational charity in Birmingham.

The economic climate continues to be tough and St Albans School, like any prudently run organisation, will continue to positionitself effectively and intelligently. We will continue to drive down our costs and spend to achieve our educational aims. Our current capital spend programme is the result of 10 years of hard work on the part of the Governors. We must continue to set our sights on the horizon to ensure the next 20 years are as effectively managed. I do hope you will join us in playing a part in whatever way you can.

Annual Review figures for Sept 2009 – Sept 2010

2010 2009£000 £000

Income

Charitable activities – fees and educational income 11,387 11,189bursaries awarded ( 691) ( 618)

Generated funds (investments, rentals and donations) 340 366

Total Income 11,036 10,937

Expenditure

Charitable activities (10,135) (10,432)Loan interest ( 156) ( 224)Development Office ( 79) ( 82)Governance ( 47) ( 46)

Total Expenditure (10,417) (10,784)

Gains/losses on investments 53 ( 229)

Net surplus / (deficit) 672 ( 76)

The financial information presented below is designed to show the main sources of income and expenditure in the year. The figures are drawn from the School’s audited financial statements and Trustees’ report for the year-ended 31 August 2010and were approved by the Trustees on 5 March 2011. To gain a full understanding of the School’s financial affairs the full financial statements, Trustees’ report and auditor’s report should be inspected.

A report from the Bursar


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From the Development Office

In a recent study published in The Times, people were quizzed about what they fear doingmost; asking for money was at the top of the list, ahead of running down their high streetnaked or even bungee jumping. It was with some trepidation, therefore, that we introducedthe St Albans School Foundation to the Old Albanian community in early 2010.


It’s a delicate balancing act to fulfil the dualroles of the Development Office – buildingand maintaining the School’s relationshipwith its former pupils, whilst asking for theirsupport of the Foundation’s lofty aims of‘needs-blind’ admission and the sensitivetransformation of the historic School site tobefit a twenty-first century education.

And so it was immensely heart-warming to open the post inthe weeks following our mailing about the St Albans SchoolFoundation to an array of responses; donations of all sortsand sizes, often accompanied by fascinating and movingletters from Old Albanians explaining the motivation fortheir support.

For some, it was a sense of gratitude – looking back some30, 40 or 50 years on, they felt that their education herehad shaped the course of their life in a positive way, andthey are now in a position to ‘give back’ and provide thatopportunity to young people in a similar position. For others, as you have read throughout this report, it mighthave been a particular building, an abiding memory of oneparticular act of kindness by a teacher, or a recent visit tosee the School “bustling with life” which sparked theirdecision to support us.

Can I add my most sincere thanks to all of our supporters –at whatever level they have been able to contribute? There is an old Chinese saying, “he who gives early, givestwice”, and those who have joined the ranks of Foundationsupporters in these early stages have generated suchmomentum behind this new initiative, which will surelygrow in time to transform the School in all the ways youhave read about, and many more in the years to come.

As I mentioned above, the role of the Development Office isalso one of alumni relations – nurturing the relationshipbetween the School and Old Albanians, and once again Iwould like to thank those OAs who have travelled from farand wide to attend reunions, dinners and other events, and

the army of well-wishers who help us out by rounding uptheir contemporaries, feeding through contact details for‘missing’ classmates, and showing their support for theSchool through their attendance at our growing number of events.

We’ve had some fun – drinks parties, book launches,concerts, School events such as the Carol Service, Founders’Day and Service of Remembrance, dinners, sports matches,champagne receptions, a sing-a-long with the School Choirin the Abbey, business networking events, a memorialservice, an Elizabethan banquet and informal after-workpub reunions.

None of these would happen without the enthusiasm andperhaps the nostalgia of the Old Albanians who come along- please do keep it up and spread the word.

The wonderful atmosphere at all of theseevents, whether large or small, whether inthe School Hall or in Hong Kong, is createdby an immediate sense of shared heritage,influenced by a remarkable School.

For those who haven’t yet made it to one of our events –you don’t know what you are missing until you do... it may surprise you!

The Development Office’s job is to foster in all those whocare about this remarkable place a lifelong interest insecuring its future. The Foundation will ultimately affect thefutures and aspirations of some outstanding young people,and I hope you will continue to show us your supportduring these exciting times.

Kate Le SueurDevelopment Manager

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Project 1: The Sports Hall and Swimming PoolWe are delighted to announce that after many years in the planning, we at last have everything,including the necessary funds, in place to begin building our Sports Hall and Swimming Pool.Only a desire to have the January examination sessions over without interruption delayed the startof work, which got under way on 21st February. We expect the building to be complete by July2012, and ready for use by the start of the autumn term in September 2012.

Update: The Capital Development Programme


The existing School Gym was built in 1956when School roll stood at c.630 and itsrequirements were mainly for gymnastics.

The School’s historic open-air pool at theBelmont Hill Playing Field was closed sometime ago due to repeated vandalism, andtherefore both the Sports Hall andSwimming pool are replacing facilities whichwere previously available to pupils, but nowno longer adequate or indeed no longer in existence.

The building will have a significant andimmediate impact on School life, including:

Broader Sports Curriculum: The Sports Hall will be ableto accommodate one game each of basketball, five-a-side football, netball, table tennis, and indoorhockey. Four badminton courts will allow sixteen pupils toplay doubles simultaneously, the minimum required tooffer badminton as a viable option. A climbing wall willoffer another extra-curricular activity which is currentlyonly possible off-site.

Swimming: The Swimming Pool will allow coaching onsite during PE lessons for all year groups, as well as high-level coaching for team squads aided by the besttraining technology including an ‘endless pool’ with videocapture and motion analysis.

Timetable: Minibus and coach journeys will be reduced, and thus time spent learning or training greatlyincreased. A wide variety of sports and activities will form part of timetabled PE lessons, which were previously impossible.

‘Unlocking’ space: Alongside the obvious teaching andextra-curricular benefits to the School, anothermotivation for the building of the Sports Centre is to‘unlock’ much-needed space on the School site to allowfurther developments to take place. By vacating thecurrent Gym we will be able to create a dedicatedRefectory and in turn this will mean that the New Hallcan become a proper auditorium for Performing Arts, asyou will read below.


Project 3: The Performing Arts CentreOnce the Sports Centre and Refectory are completed, the NewHall will no longer be needed as a multi-function space, and canbe transformed into a proper auditorium for the Performing Arts.This will give the Music Department, whose operations arepresently split between School House and the Hall, a coherentbase. State-of-the-art tiered, retractable seating and flexiblestaging will make the centre a valuable asset for performing arts.

Due to funding restrictions, this is likely to be a phased project,with early works beginning on the seating and stage areas, andthe full scope of rehearsal rooms and acoustic treatmentsfollowing once funding allows.

Project 4: The Gateway ProjectSee report on early progress on page 8.

Later projectsOnce these four major works have been completed, a number of smaller projects can continue, such as landscaping of theUpper Yard and eventually the Lower Yard, finding a solution tothe ongoing parking issues at the School, and other long-termprojects on-site and at Woollams to make the most of theSchool’s limited space to provide the very best twenty-firstcentury education for our pupils.

Project 2: The Refectory The shell of the redundant Gymnasium will be transformed into a Dining Hall with full kitchenfacilities, creating an open, flexible space, designed to ease congestion during the lunchtimerush, and for use by pupils before and after School. Funding for this project is in place andwork can begin as soon as the Gym becomes available.

Update: The Capital Development Programme



Acknowledgements

The St Albans School Foundation remains indebted to all those who have given so generously, particularly in such a challenging economic climate, whether by regular or one-off payments and towhatever extent. Thank you all. With the full cost of the Foundation being carried by the School wecan ensure that every penny that is given goes straight to supporting these important projects.

- Mr D. S. Allan OA 1975- Mr D. S. Allen OA 1959- Mr G. A. Allen OA 1947- Mr O. O. Ashaye OA 2008- The late Mr D. G. C. Astley OA 1951- Mr R. J. Aubrey OA 1956- Mr R. T. Austin OA 1952- Mr R. L. Bains OA 1989- Mr A. S. Barnes OA 1964- Mr P. N. Barnes OA 1966- Mr F. Bateson - Mr A. Beardon OA 1983- Dr A. C. R. Belton OA 1990- Mr K. N. Bernard OA 1960- Canon W. M. C. Bestelink OA 1967- Mr J. W. E. Blackford OA 1954- Mr R. B. Blossom- Mr M. E. Blunkell OA 1960- Mr M. G. C. Boatman OA 1957- Mr A. H. Bolton OA 1960- Mr C. R. Bonner OA 1977- Mr B. H. Brinton OA 1947- Mr J. G. C. Brown OA 1959- Mr P. Brummell OA 1983- Mr S. H. Burgess OA 1962- Mrs P. R. Buxton Former Staff

- The late Mr D. L. Cannon OA 1949- Mr J. D. Chamberlain OA 1960- Mr P. G. Clements OA 1943- Mr P. A. Clitherow OA 1977- Mr N. P. J. Cocksedge OA 1972- The late Mr N. S. J. Cook OA 1947- Mr R. L. Cook OA 1946- Mr A. H. C. Cordell OA 1974- Mr J. H. Crowhurst OA 1954- Mr A. L. Dalwood OA 1989- Mrs P. A. Dodgson - Rev. B. K. Donne OA 1942- Mr P. J. Dredge OA 1960- Mr P. E. Dunham OA 1951- Mr A. J. Dymond OA 1962- Mr K. R. Embleton OA 1942- Mr M. Evans in memory of B. A. Evans OA 1949 - Mr C. R. Fewkes OA 1957- The late Mr J. M. K. Finley Former Staff- Mr R. Foale OA 1964- Rev. A. J. Foster OA 1957- Mr N. Gibbs OA 1950- Mr R. S. Gibson OA 1946- Mr A. E. Gilham OA 2000- Mr G. A. Goodman OA 1952- Dr I. M. Gray OA 1953

- Mr K. J. Gruber OA 1973- Mr & Mrs S. Haller- Mr B. D. Halsey OA 1947- The late Dr. A. W. Harrison-Barbet OA 1957- Mr J. G. Hartley OA 1939- Mr R. S. R. Hawkins OA 1947- Maj.-Gen. M. S. Heath OA 1958- Mr D. J. Heather in memory of P. R. Heather- Dr N. W. Heys OA 1966- Mrs A. Hickman - Mr J. Hider OA 1963- Mr R. P. I. Hopkins OA 1960- Mr M. E. Hughes OA 1980- Mr D. Ireland OA 1937- Mr A. J. Jenkins OA 1961- Mr I. F. Jennings OA 1962- Mr R. Jesson OA 1962- Mr A. Jha OA 2001- The Very Reverend Dr J. John - Mr F. J. Josling OA 1948- Mrs R. Kennell - Sqn Ldr R. A. King OA 1963- Mr J. R. Lake OA 1961- Mr T. C. Landsbert OA 1954- Mr P. V. Lawrence OA 1960- Mr S. S. Lazarus OA 1955

The lists that follow demonstrate the considerable depth and variety of support from which the School has benefited, rangingfrom Old Albanians leaving any time between 1927 and 2010, to parents, staff, charitable trusts and other friends.

Average donation£646.41 (which is worth £827.40 to the School with Gift Aid)

Average regular gift£27.32 per month (which is worth £35.02 per month to the School with Gift Aid)


- Mr J. H. B. Lowick OA 1950- Dr J. Luke Former Staff- Mr M. Luke OA 1968- Professor P. J. Maddison OA 1964- Mr S. M. Males, QC OA 1974- Sir Clive Martin, OBE, TD OA 1954- Mr M. J. Mason OA 1949- Mr R. A. McFarlane OA 1966- Mr N. C. McGregor OA 1962- Mr J. W. Meulkens OA 1935- Mr M. E. Millard OA 1945- Mr G. P. Mills OA 1952- Mr M. I. Moir OA 1956- Mr D. P. G. Morgan OA 1946- Mr A. J. G. Morrison OA 1979- Mr S. A. Muir OA 1953- Prof. R. J. C. Munton - Mr S. B. H. C. Neal OA 1953- Mr I. A. Nelsey OA 1947- Mr N. E. Nethersole OA 1970- Dr D. G. Newman OA 1961- Col A. J. Newnham OA 1950- Mr J. D. Nicol OA 1975- Mr R. Ollington OA 1947- Mr R. Park OA 1961- Dr M. S. Pegg

- Dr D. J. Perkins OA 1945- Dr & Mrs M. H. Phillips - Mr R. J. Piggott OA 1985- Dr J. S. Ponsford OA 1968- Dr A. T. G. Pym OA 1996- Mr R. E. G. Ractliffe OA 1961- Mr P. M. Rattle OA 1983- Mr N. A. Rawlins OA 2002- Mr J. E. Rogers OA 1980- Mr C. D. Rolfe OA 1974- Mr R. M. Saltmarsh OA 1956- Prof. M. Schofield OA 1960- Mr R. B. Sharpe OA 1953- Mr D. M. Sidney OA 1938- Mr C. V. Simms OA 1964- Mr S. P. Skelly OA 2009- Mr P. B. Soul OA 1961- Mr A. Squires OA 1964- Major J. W. Steele OA 1964- Dr B. J. Stevenson OA 1953- Mr M. Stone Former Staff- Mr J. C. P. Stupart OA 1990- SVG Advisers Limited - Mr N. S. G. Swan OA 1973- Mr J. M. Swinstead OA 1946- Mr M. J. Tangye OA 1961

- Mr R. F. Tarling OA 1954- Mr G. J. Tate OA 1960- The Old Albanian Club - The Wolfson Foundation - Mrs P. A. Thomas Former Staff- Mr D. A. Thompson OA 1958- Mr P. J. Thompson OA 1957- Mr R. R. Thorogood OA 1954- Mr C. Thrale OA 1977- Mr K. J. Tilley OA 1948- Dr J. C. Tudor OA 1960- Mr K. D. Tuffnell OA 1978- Mr D. J. Veltom OA 1960- Mr I. M. Verran OA 1980- Mr I. K. Watson OA 1954- Mrs D. L. Wells - Mr J. Wharton OA 1960- Mr J. N. Wilkinson OA 1960- Mr B. K. Williams OA 1954- Mr G. S. Williams OA 1955- Mr J. R. Wilson OA 1945- Mr J. B. Windsor OA 1950- Mr R. Winter OA 1928- Mr N. A. Wood-Smith Former Staff- Fr. E. R. Worthy OA 1965Plus 17 anonymous supporters

Our SupportersThe following have supported the Foundation through a single or regular gift, or a legacy pledge:

Most generous generation of OAs

Number of supporters by decadeDonations by decade (£’000s)



““

An Anonymous Gateway Society MemberFor me, a legacy pledge is a way of making a really meaningful gift to the School which I would be simply unable to doduring my lifetime. It’s wonderful to know that after I’m gone, some remarkable young people like those I have met onrecent visits to the School will benefit from my estate rather than the taxman! I place my utmost trust in the SchoolGovernors at the time, (hopefully many years in the future!), to allocate my gift when it arrives towards a project orfund where it will have the most impact.

To me, my estate is a private matter and so I’ve asked to remain anonymous - even when my gift finally comes tofruition I have requested that it is not publicised. However I’m pleased to receive invitations to Gateway Society eventsand I wear my tie with pride knowing that I have now “done my bit” to ensure a thriving future for this remarkableseat of learning.

Membership is exclusive to those who haveleft a legacy gift to the School, or expressedthe intention to do so.

Potential legators need only contact theDevelopment Office to let us know and thusjoin the Society, and there is no obligation todisclose any information about your gift.Members will receive invitations to a convivialannual dinner, receive a splendid silk tie inrecognition of their bequest, and will beinvited to other principal School events.

Potential members should consider seeking advice fromtheir solicitor as to which method of legacy giving is bestsuited to their own circumstances. We would like toencourage current or prospective members to considermaking a residuary legacy wherever possible, in preferenceto a pecuniary legacy, whilst always appreciating that thismay not suit every circumstance, and also recognising thatwhat can go up can also come down!

It is well worthwhile bearing in mind the tax advantages ofcharitable legacies; using the current 40% rate ofInheritance Tax, this enables a legacy worth, say, £10,000 tothe School to cost the deceased’s estate only £6,000.As we go to print, the Chancellor’s Budget announcementincludes details of further tax benefits whereby those whogive 10% or more of their estate to charity reduce theinheritance tax levied on their estate from 40% to 36% -your solicitor will be able to provide you with more details.

Membership of The Gateway Society continues to grow atan encouraging rate. It currently has 23 members and atotal of over £1 million in stated pledges.

We are extremely grateful to all those who are committedto remembering St Albans School in their wills, and hopevery much that they will be able to enjoy the benefits oftheir membership during their lifetime by joining us for theannual ‘Gateway Feast’.

This year’s Gateway Feast coincided with the 500thanniversary of the birth of Sir Nicholas Bacon, and took theform of a magnificent Elizabethan banquet in the AbbeyGateway – a truly memorable evening which will have tobe matched in 2011!

During the year we received a legacy gift from the estate ofDr Anthony W. Harrison-Barbet (OA 1957). We remain inhis and his family’s debt for having committed his generouscontribution towards securing the School’s future.

The Gateway Society

In 2008 the Headmaster hosted a series of lunches for a small nucleus of benefactors who had informed us that they had decided to remember St Albans in their will.With a view to increasing the awareness of the School’s need for such support, extending thenumber of donors and providing an opportunity for the School to thank legators during theirlifetime, The Gateway Society was launched.


Recognition for Donors:The Foundation is pleased to recognise the generosity of donors at a number of different levels:

Member Donations up to £4,999 We are delighted to recognise the generosity of all Members in our Annual Reportduring the years of their giving. It is the accumulated contributions of the manyMembers of the Foundation that will make large-scale projects possible. Memberswill be invited to attend School and Foundation events and receptions, and will befrequently updated on the progress of all projects.

Patron Donations of £5,000 - £9,999We are pleased to grant the title of Patron for a period of five years from the time ofa donor’s gift. According to their wishes, Patrons will be recognised in Foundationand School publications, and will be invited to attend all principal School and Foundation functions.

Fellow Donations of £10,000 - £49,000 The title of ‘Fellow’ will be granted to donors for life, to recognise the very significant contribution they have made to the future of St Albans School. In addition to all benefits enjoyed by Members and Patrons, Fellows will be invitedto attend an annual dinner, and may be interested in a number of ‘naming opportunities’ associated with specific projects.

Benefactor Donations of £50,000 and aboveBenefactors will enjoy special recognition for their generosity. In addition to the various benefits described above, the names of Benefactors will be inscribed on aboard in the Library as recognition, in perpetuity, of their contribution to St Albans School.

The Gateway SocietyThose who have chosen to make a gift in their will are invited to become membersof the Gateway Society - please see p29 for more information.



st albans school foundation annual report 2009-2010

Documents

wolfson foundation

theschools development

bursary fundp8

year of existence

annual report new layout

development officep22

able young people

donors p18 report