How can you support the school?
We are very grateful for all donations to our school, which help us to realise the exciting ambitions that we have for our children’s education. Previous donations have helped us to develop our playground and Forest School, equip the music programme, fill our library and add to our learning resources. Future projects include the ongoing development of our forest school and the arts and drama programmes.
Green Shoots Fund
What is the Green Shoots Fund?
A steady, reliable source of financial support made possible by regular, automatic monthly donations from parents, carers and friends of UCPS. It has been created in response to the many parents who have approached FOCUS and asked how to support the school on a more consistent basis.
Who is behind it? Who should I contact for more information?
The Green Shoots Fund is spearheaded and organised by FOCUS, although donations to the Fund go directly to UCPS to benefit our teachers and children. All questions about the initiative should be directed to FOCUS at focusucps@gmail.com.
What is its purpose?
In this challenging climate for state schools, our buzzwords have to be stability and flexibility: stability to sustain success, flexibility to overcome obstacles. The Green Shoots Fund accordingly offers UCPS more stability and flexibility, empowering the school with reliable, month-to-month funding that can address unexpected challenges throughout the year and avail our children of learning opportunities beyond those envisioned by the state curriculum.
How to give?
It’s easy: just set up a revolving monthly bank payment via standing order. Please click here to download the Green Shoots Donation Form. FOCUS suggests that parents consider a monthly contribution of £10/month, in line with the experiences of other UK schools. If you are able to give more, please consider doing so. Please remember to complete the GiftAid section of the donation form to increase your donation by 25%. You might also want to join your employer’s payroll giving programme, which means you can make your donation before taxes.
Who can give?
Anyone. We look to parents and carers as primary contributors, but the Green Shoots Fund also offers as great way for grandparents and other friends/family to support the growth and development of our children’s education.
Do I have to participate?
Absolutely not. We all contribute to the school in whatever ways we can. Our hope is simply that the Green Shoots Fund offers UCPS’s parent/carer community an easy, convenient way to help the school thrive by way of monthly financial contributions.
How will donations be used?
The idea of the ‘Green Shoots Fund’ is not to be prescriptive. It strives to give our teachers room to attend to issues and expenses as they emerge and develop over the course of the year. Donations are made directly to a dedicated bank account at the school and are administered in accordance with the school’s strict financial policy. The Headteacher will report annually on the fund’s revenue and how it is allocated.
What if I want to earmark my donation or make a special, one-off contribution (e.g. by purchasing educational equipment or sharing skills)?
Great! The Green Shoots Fund is one of various avenues by which to give to the school. Please contact the staff directly to discuss a targeted contribution. We encourage parents also to consider how their employers may make contributions to UCPS.
Ways to donate
- Green Shoots Fund: This FOCUS-led initiative is an easy and efficient way for parents, carers and our wider community to ease some of the school’s financial burdens, which will help the school to deliver its broad and ambitious curriculum. To learn more and access the Green Shoots Fund donations form see below.
- ParentMail: As a parent, you can make one-off donations via your ParentMail account. 100% of your donation reaches the school using this method. To ensure we can receive Gift Aid for direct donations to the school we would be grateful if you could complete a Gift Aid Declaration form and return this to the school office or email to finance@universityprimaryschool.org.uk
- Online bank payment/transfer. This is a simple and secure way to set up a one-off or recurring (e.g. monthly) donations. Please contact our school office via email : finance@universityprimaryschool.org.uk or telephone 01223 792440 for the school’s bank details.
- If you do not have access to ParentMail, you can make recurring or one-off donations via PayPal (Please note: PayPal charges a small processing fee).
- Cheques: If you would like to use this method, please make your cheque(s) payable to the University of Cambridge Primary School. Don’t forget to complete and return a Gift Aid Declaration form.
- Payroll giving.Numerous employers support their employee’s charitable giving by making it possible to donate to charities such as UCPS prior to payroll taxes. While GiftAid is not applicable if your giving is pre-tax, payroll giving frees you to make a larger donation than you might when paying after taxes are deducted. Please notify the UCPS finance department : finance@universityprimaryschool.org.uk] if you use this method of giving.
The importance of Gift Aid
If you are a UK tax payer, your donation to the school will automatically be increased by an additional 25% (at no further cost to you) if you complete a Gift Aid Declaration form.
All donations to UCPS are administered in accordance with the school’s strict financial policy. Thank you in advance for your generosity and support.
Please click here to read the 2020 Green Shoots Report.