We are delighted to announce that the fundraising for the library appeal surpassed expectation. As we come to the end of term, I can announce where the funding has come from.
For the library: Costs (Cost of furniture & carpet £19,480)
- £5,000 from Friern Barnet Education Trust
- £9,500 from the PTA (from ongoing fundraising activities throughout the year)
- £5,000 from the online crowd funder
Total – £19,500
For books:
- £1,000 from Friern Barnet Education Trust
- £500 from the PTA (from ongoing fundraising activities throughout the year)
- £1,387 from the online crowd funder
- £979 from gift aid on the crowd funder
- £606 from character themed dress up day
- £3568 from the sponsored read
- £300 from the book themed cake sale
Total – £8,340
GRAND TOTAL £27,840
Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed to these funds. The library is scheduled to be fitted during the summer holidays. Once we return in September, Ms Sampson and the new Reading Champions will be choosing new books. We hope to open the new library in October 2024.
Why did we chose a library for the appeal?
With the loss of a Y6 bulge class this summer in July 2024 – the school will be back to being completely two form entry from September 2024. This will be the first time we have not had any bulge classes for the past 12 years. This means that the school will have two spare and empty classrooms. With falling numbers of children in Barnet – there is not likely to be the need to use these rooms as classrooms for the foreseeable future. We are planning ahead for September 2024 and we do not want to have two empty rooms. It is useful to have one spare classroom – for meetings, for intervention groups etc – but not two empty rooms.
For a school as big as ours, there is no dedicated library space. All of our books are currently in classrooms or on shelves in corridors or central spaces – which is not ideal. Turning one of our spare classrooms into a nice cosy and attractive library will free up much needed space in corridors and shared spaces and will result in books being better cared for and children having a welcoming and dedicated spaces for books and for reading.
The library will be a lovely quiet space and sanctuary and will help to encourage a love of reading. Having a dedicated library space within our school will very much raise the profile of reading.
What exactly would the money raised buy?
A complete refurbishment of one of our classrooms into a bespoke library space with a new carpet, wall art, many bookshelves, cosy nooks, comfy seating, a space for groups and some new books. The total cost to create the new library will be approximately £25k and this is not something that we can afford out of a very tight school budget.
How was the money raised?
We raised this money by making bids through an application to the Friern Barnet Education Trust and through PTA events across this Spring term and the summer term to help raise funds for this project. We will also be launching a crowd funding appeal in the summer term and asking for parent help and support with this to share it amongst friends and family members.
Who lead this appeal?
As with our last appeals, this appeal was driven by a committee of people – myself, governors, the PTA and staff – all working together for a great cause for the children. The team was led by myself and Otto Balsiger and Andrea Messios who are governors with responsibility for Income Realisation. Other governors on the committee include Clare Hegarty, Chair of Governors. The PTA was represented by their treasurers – Alison Balsiger and Amy Ramsey. Miss Sampson who is our reading lead also took a keen interest in the project.
When will the library open?
We hope that funds will be raised by July 2024 so that the library can be constructed in the summer holidays ready for an opening in September 2024.