The Governors' Fund – Your questions answered
 

Each year we ask our parents and carers to make a contribution of £30 to the Governors’ Fund.

What is the Governors’ Fund?

As a Voluntary Aided School, one of the responsibilities of the Governors is the upkeep of the school premises, including ongoing maintenance, any major building projects and other school improvements that are required.

These are not covered by the budget from the Local Authority, so the school pays an annual contribution to the Guildford Diocesan Board of Education, who help us maintain and improve the building.  This annual contribution is like an insurance policy and gives us access to funds to pay for bigger projects like roof repairs, upgrading the IT system and making improvements to classrooms.

Why does the school need a Governors’ Fund?

The school is legally obliged to have this fund.

Why do parents need to pay into it?

The Governors’ Fund has to pay 10% towards all works carried out on school buildings.  There needs to be enough money to ensure necessary improvements to the school can be made as required, or when lucky enough to secure extra funding from other sources.  There also needs to be a contingency fund for any unforeseen or emergency maintenance.  The governors also have to pay nearly £4,000 a year into the Diocesan Maintenance Fund.  If Voluntary Aided schools do not pay, then there will be insufficient money for the Diocese to invest in schools and the buildings could suffer.  Certainly, there would be no funding for new projects.

What has the Governors’ Fund paid for recently?

Recent purchases and work has been in the interest of further safeguarding your children and includes:

• New fencing around the school perimeter
• Additional CCTV
• Upgrading the phone in lift
• Toilet extraction fans
• Paxton security system on doors

What will the Governors’ Fund pay for going forward?

Our IT system needs an urgent upgrade to make it compatible with Windows 11.  This will ensure all machines are either upgraded or replaced to be compliant.

How do I pay my contribution to the Governors’ Fund?

Once a term we will ask parents and carers for a voluntary contribution of £10 per family to help support us in projects around the school.  The Diocese match the total contributions received from parents and carers and this is therefore a vital source of funding for us.

Your Governor’s Fund contribution can be paid via the ParentMail App under the ‘Payments’ tab, then ‘Shop’.

If you cannot afford your contribution at this time, we are very grateful for any contribution that you are able to make.

We greatly appreciate all voluntary contributions received, whatever the amount, as they help us to enhance and develop the learning environment for all children attending our school.

Thank you for your continued support.

Mrs M Atkins

Headteacher