Building and Maintenance Fund

What is the Maintenance Fund?

St John's, as a faith school, is a Voluntary Aided school. This means we are not fully funded by the government in the same way as other schools such as Hampton Wick Infants. In order to access the funds that the school is allocated for capital building works, essential for the upkeep and repair of our buildings and grounds, we are required to contribute 10% of the cost of all such works. In order to spread the load, the London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS) operates a maintenance scheme towards which their schools are asked to contribute a sum of money for each child. This contribution enables the school to access a wider fund through which the governing body can pay their 10% contribution to all capital building projects, and acts as a collective insurance scheme through which larger scale property works can be financed and project-managed, providing access to surveyors and other buildings experts to help the school to identify building repair and improvement needs, and make longer term plans.

What are parents asked to do?

All families with a child at St John's are asked for an annual voluntary contribution to the Maintenance Fund, which is managed by the school governors. We are incredibly mindful of the financial pressures many families continue to be under. Please therefore contribute only what you feel able, and if you can pay more, extra donations are greatly appreciated.

Suggested annual voluntary contribution:

• £60 first child

• £50 each other child

These are suggested amounts, but if you feel able to contribute more we very much appreciate your support.

Why are parental contributions so important?

We need support from parents now more than ever. St John's, like many schools in the local area, is under significant financial pressure, in part due to reduced pupil numbers, but also due to so many other external factors outside of our control that continue to impact all schools. In addition to the annual contribution to the LDBS detailed above, the school must pay for all regular day to day maintenance items that schools require. If we don't receive enough parent contributions, the money has to be met from the main school budget. This means less money to pay for things like classroom and wider curriculum resources, and can impact negatively in the longer term. For example, in 2021, the low response to the request for Maintenance Fund donations resulted in the need to find funds from the existing budget, which we found by ending the lease on our school minibus, which has subsequently meant we have had to rely much more on parent’s ability to transport children to and from sporting and other events in order to attend them. 

What past projects have parents helped to fund in this way?

• Our redeveloped school entrance which transformed the security of the front of the school and the safety of children.

• Large interactive white boards in all classrooms and learning environments.

• Flat roof replacement and installation of solar panels, resulting in reduced energy costs.

• Refurbishment of the children's toilets.

• The building expansion programme, completed in 2014, with the new Craigie Building and extensive repairs and refurbishment of the existing building.

What future projects might parents help to support through the Maintenance Scheme?

On the school’s current priority list for capital improvements are:

• New hot water calorifier to heat our hot water around school; 

• Extension of cold water drinking supply to all outlets in school;

• Replacement server to ensure our teachers can effectively deliver the curriculum and our data is securely managed; 

• Improvement to upstairs corridor and group room areas;

• Improvement to upstairs children’s toilets. 

How can you contribute?

Online Card Payments:

The easiest way to contribute is online via card payment here. You are able to make single or repeated contributions via this link.  Please also ensure you complete the Gift Aid declaration as part of the process so we can maximise your contribution.

Standing Order:

Another way you may wish to contribute is by setting up a direct bank transfer, or a regular standing order of an amount and frequency of your choosing.  If you prefer to choose this option, please follow this link to find our bank account details and Gift Aid declaration form

Cash or cheque:

We can of course still accept cash or cheques via the school office. Please ensure the envelope is clearly marked for the attention of ‘The Treasurer of the St John the Baptist CE Junior School Building & Maintenance Fund’, and please identify your child’s name and class inside the envelope with your donation, so that we can link it to your Gift Aid declaration, which we ask you to complete online here. 

Gift Aid:

However you choose to donate, we ask that you do also please complete a Gift Aid declaration; if you are a taxpayer, the school can claim an additional 25% back from the government at no extra cost to you (so gives the school an extra £15 for every £60 donation, or £25 on £100 donation).

Our Gift Aid declarations are completed online when you make a card payment, or through the school website link above for any cash, cheque, or direct bank payments.

If you have any questions on the Maintenance Fund or how to make payment, please contact the school office.