Why Does King David Need To Fundraise?

As you are no doubt aware, the Department for Education keeps on diverting funds to support failing schools (as measured by deprivation) and as a result, schools of excellence such as ours have had their budget drastically reduced - all whilst the cost of running the schools keep on going up. Many schools have suffered but none as much as KD (London schools have a special booster grant to 'raise standards in the capital'). In our case, the budgets are down by well over £1,500,000 per annum (over 30%!!).

Government funding (at around £5,000 per pupil) is sufficient to run 'bog-standard' comprehensives but is entirely inadequate to deliver standards of excellence we provide which are more akin to the standards provided by the top schools in the independent sector (who charge around £15,000 per annum).

Our outstanding academic results always place us at the very top of the national league tables. The way we have maintained the standards is; by drastically reducing overheads (though not teacher levels); with the support of those parents who make voluntary contributions and with the support of some very generous donors. However, the deficit keeps growing and that is why, after three years since our last appeal, we now have to turn to parents, former parents, grandparents, alumni, friends and the whole community for support.

The 1,400 children we look after are the promise of tomorrow, the future of our community...