Habs Impact Report 2021-23

The difference you make

Honouring our History

Gus Lock, Executive Principal

Dear fellow members of the Habs Community,

I am delighted to share our first Impact Report, a publication which exemplifies the difference our school community can and has made for our students and our wider community.

It is important to start at the beginning, and to remember why we were founded over 350 years ago. Robert Aske, our founder, left a legacy on his death which was to be partly used to found a school for "20 sons of poor Freemen of the Company". This original Habs opened its doors in 1690 and exclusively educated children whose families lacked financial means to pay for that education. Any child who came into money had to leave.

Many centuries later, our schools have come a long way and changed in any number of ways. However, we have retained an ongoing commitment to these philanthropic principles. We want our schools to reflect the broader society of which we are a part. And we know that a diverse student body enriches the Habs experience for everyone.

We are sincerely grateful for the generous support of our community. On 5-6 March we will be holding our third Giving Day and, having raised nearly £350,000 in our previous two Giving Days, we are excited to see what we can achieve this year. Your support has contributed to 157 students receiving bursaries, of whom 81 students receive 100% free school places. The bursary testimonials you will read here demonstrate the life-changing impact a Habs education has.

Our purpose at Habs is to ensure that every student who comes through our school is empowered and inspired to make a profound impact in the world. This is why a Habs education needs to be about so much more than just academic excellence. Through our curriculum and our range of co-curricular and partnership opportunities, students develop character, independence, creativity, teamwork and the ability to communicate with and motivate others.

We want students from all backgrounds to have the capacity to lead and to make a positive difference.

There was a second part to Robert Aske’s legacy, which is often forgotten. In addition to a school for poor children, he stipulated in his will that the rest of his fortune go to the caring of poor and elderly members of the community. That commitment to community and service has always been part of what it means to be a Haberdasher.

Partnerships work is a crucial part of the wider education that Habs provides, improving students’ leadership and communications skills, and building their resilience, grit, and knowledge of the world.

The aim of partnerships at Habs is to build educational opportunity, both for our school community and for the communities around us. Over 350 Habs students and 56 staff work with a network of 7 local state partner schools, running 48 hours of co-curricular and academic sessions every week, with a focus on increasing opportunity for disadvantaged students. We have a unique approach to partnerships; we do not offer one-off events or short-term projects: our partnerships activities form part of the regular, weekly activity for our partner schools and for our students and staff. Through this, we build genuine, long-term relationships and change lives for the better. It is true partnership. And this work is led by Habs students; in the following pages you will see the clear benefits for them.

I hope very much you enjoy reading what follows as much as we have enjoyed creating it. Thank you for your support and generosity – it means the world to us.

With very best wishes,

Mr Gus Lock (OH 1994) Executive Principal

Cover image: Habs students leading a swim class for local state primary school children. Close to 350 Habs student volunteers work with 1,400 children at 7 partner schools each week.

Building a Culture of Philanthropy: 2021-2023

Gifts received from donors, by fund supported

Total: £845,345 Bursary

£26,608

Number

Philanthropy at Habs, Bill Friar, Director of Development

Fundraising has played a remarkably small role at Habs, particularly for schools that were founded through philanthropy nearly 350 years ago. Old Haberdashers were rarely asked to make a gift, and parents almost never.

So when we decided in 2021 to begin asking the Habs community for support, we did so with not a little trepidation. (Scratch that – I can’t do British understatement; I was terrified.) We know a Habs education is not cheap, and asking parents and alumni to contribute more, particularly to help pay fees of future families, is not something we did lightly.

But we also knew we wanted to build a Habs where income is no barrier to entry. A place where every child who would thrive here could come here, regardless of financial means. That’s why we were founded, and we felt sure others in the Habs community would share our vision. So we started asking.

The response has been overwhelming. The warmth, generosity and community spirit of Haberdashers young and old is deeply inspiring, as I hope the numbers in this report demonstrate.

We have a long way to go to achieve our dream of a Habs where potential and a willingness to work hard is all a child needs to come here. After all, we have nearly 350 years of catching up to do. But what a start we have made together.

Bill Friar Director of Development

886

MADE FIRST-EVER GIFT

of current parents have made a gift to Habs in the last two years 11%

886 Old Haberdashers, parents, staff and friends made their first-ever gift to Habs in the last two years.

We knew we wanted to build a Habs where income is no barrier to entry.

The Life-Changing Power of Habs Bursaries

Niraj Doshi (OH 2017)

Upon his graduation from University College London Medical School in July 2023, Niraj Doshi (OH 2017) was presented with the University of London Gold Medal in Medicine. This highly prestigious award, established in 1903, goes to the top medical student from among all the University of London medical schools. Past winners include Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin.

"Receiving a bursary during my time at Habs was life changing. Aside from the many benefits I was fortunate to gain from my time at the school, perhaps the most important was seeing that the school believed in me from a young age and were willing to help nurture my potential regardless of my family's financial ability. I know that many of my achievements since then stem from the confidence that gave me, which demonstrates just how powerful investing in a student's education can be."

Receiving a bursary during my time at Habs was life changing.

Matilda ackson-Long (OH 2021)

"From the beginning of year 7 to the end of my A-Levels I received excellent teaching and benefitted from the school’s wide range of extra-curricular activities. It was at Habs that I discovered a love for learning and a passion for Classics that was nurtured by my inspirational teachers. In my final years at the school, I received the dedicated support of the Classics department and the Higher Education team whilst making my applications to university, and with their help managed to receive a place to read Classics at Oxford. I wouldn’t have benefitted from any of this teaching and support had it not been for the school’s bursary scheme."

A Parent’s View

We were absolutely delighted when Matilda received the offer of a place on a full bursary. Matilda thoroughly enjoyed her years at Habs and described many of her teachers as ‘inspirational’. She made good friends and appreciated the many aspects of diversity at the school.

Habs is definitely not a place where any pupil on a bursary, whether they choose to disclose this information or not, would ever feel out of place. The notion of private schools being solely a place of wealthy, privileged students could not be farther from the truth at Habs. Every student is valued and nurtured as an individual.

It was at Habs that I discovered a love for learning.

The standard of education Matilda received at Habs exceeded all our expectations, and the guidance she was given when it came to university applications was second to none. She received offers from all five universities to which she applied and achieved three A* at A-level.

MRS ALEX JACKSON-LONG Mother of Matilda Jackson-Long (OH 2021)

Dr Niraj Doshi (left), with Prof Faye Gishen, UCL Medical Director, at the 2023 UCL Medical School graduation ball.

Bursaries in Numbers:

2023-2024

157

Habs students received bursary awards in 2023/24

6.5%

of senior school students at Habs Girls currently receive bursary support

Habs gave me an amazing academic grounding for my professional life but also a whole lot else - it taught me organisation, teamwork and the importance of pursuing interests outside the classroom.

Donating to Habs is a small way for me to say thank you and to ensure future students get the same opportunities that I did, irrespective of their financial circumstances.

Palliative care physician and bursary award recipient (OH 2013)

9.2%

of senior school students at Habs Boys currently receive bursary support

81

free places awarded in 2023/24

89%

of fees paid (Average bursary awarded in 2023-24)

37%

of Habs families receiving bursary support have a total household income of less than

£35,000

I want to contribute to a Haberdasher education for a bright, able, hard‐working boy who will be academically stretched, have his horizons broadened, delight in the diversity of fellow pupils, relish the exceptional facilities at Elstree and be taught the value of service for others – but without his family’s ability to pay being a factor. This is what happened to me, and I am grateful for it to this day.

of Year 13 bursary students would have qualified for free school meals this year had they attended a state school

Means-tested bursaries awarded

£4,000,000 £3,500,000

41% £3,742,000 £3,275,000 £3,040,000

£3,000,000

2021-22 2022-23

2023-24 (forecast)

Donor and bursary award recipient (OH, 1997)

The Bursary Fund allowed both me and my brother to access fabulous opportunities and a transformative education to build a future which would have otherwise been impossible. Our family will always be grateful.

Kishan Ganatra (OH 2019), now a secondary school teacher, and his brother, Neil (OH 2014), now a doctor, made a £500 gift to the Bursary Fund on Giving Day 2023.

Other Philanthropic Funds

Total awarded 2021-2023: £6,417

The Habs Travel Initiative

This is an initiative conceived by Habs students themselves to ensure students with limited funds can enjoy the full Habs experience.

The fund provides mean-tested support for students who could not otherwise join their classmates on 'extra' school trips, such as sports, music and special academic enrichment trips. (Bursary awards only provide funding for essential academic trips, and only in some cases.)

Students further showed their support by smashing participation records during both the 2022 and 2023 Habs Giving Dash, unlocking thousands of pounds in challenge funding pledged by parent and alumni donors.

In the last two years, means-tested support from this fund meant that Habs Boys and Habs Girls from lower-income families were able to join their classmates for a languages trip to Lyon, a Classics trip to Rome and a politics trip to Washington, DC, and New York. Most of these grants covered half of the trip cost. One trip was funded in full, however: the £42 that one student needed to attend a ‘maths fest’ in London.

Total awarded 2021-2023: £35,380

The Hardship Fund

The fund provides temporary funding for families with personal emergencies (e.g. a parent dies) or the effects on the family of a broader crisis (e.g. Covid, major recession).

The families of nine students applied for and received Hardship Funding between 2021-23. Nearly all were families who lost their jobs during the pandemic. Awards ranged from approximately £1,000 to £5,000 per family, which was enough to help them through the crisis and keep their child at Habs.

Total awarded 2021-2023: £28,491

The Student Opportunities Fund

This fund supports innovative projects aimed at improving the Habs student experience. Students and staff may propose activities, and both academic and co-curricular projects are eligible.

Between 2021 and 2023, a single donor accounted for most of the gifts to this fund: an Old Haberdasher who left Habs in 1980 but has been impressed by the innovation and ambition of current students working on robotics and computing projects. In the last two years, he has given £22,000 to the Student Opportunities Fund, allowing Habs robotics teams to compete in the world championships in Houston, Texas, and for Habs computing society to buy new kit.

Leaving a Legacy

TOTAL £4,757,326

Income from legacies through February 2024

Realised Legacies

£3,657,326

Expected Legacies

£1,100,000

Simon Gelber (OH 1973) loved Habs, and he continued to support the Habs community throughout his life, as a member of the Old Haberdashers’ Association and especially as an enthusiastic, lifelong supporter of the Old Haberdashers’ Cricket Club until his untimely death on New Year’s Day 2020. He was a natural convener who inspired friendship and camaraderie among generations of fellow alumni.

He remembered his extended Habs family in his will, leaving several generous legacies to Habs institutions. This included a £1.5 million bequest to Habs Boys.

Simon’s family and the school agreed in 2023 that establishing the Simon Gelber Memorial Scholarship and Bursary Fund would be a fitting way to honour his memory and the Habs values he stood for. This is a permanently endowed fund that will award a full bursary and a sports scholarship year after year, in perpetuity.

The Simon Gelber Bursary will be awarded each year to an outstanding young student from a lowerincome family. The Simon Gelber Scholarship will go to a student who shows great team spirit, regardless of whether they are a top athlete.

Gifts in wills, or legacies, are the purest form of philanthropy, as the donor is making a gift to future generations who will never be able to thank them.

You can restrict how you want Habs to use your legacy. Larger legacies may be invested in a permanently endowed fund, such as the Gelber Fund.

For more information, contact:

Roger Llewellyn, Director of Foundation foundation@habselstree.org.uk

+44 (0)20 8266 1964

Habs Giving Day 2022 and 2023

In March 2022 the two schools came together for a joyous, heartfelt, unprecedented celebration of philanthropy: the inaugural Habs Giving Day.

Hundreds of parents, students, staff and Old Haberdashers stepped up as donors, Habs Giving Dash runners, volunteers – or all three. The second Habs Giving Day followed in March 2023 and was even more successful.

1,249 £343,979

grand total raised across the two days for bursaries, hardship funding, student opportunities and other Habs priorities donors contributing

Funds raised on the day

£142,077 (2022)

£201,902 (2023)

0

850 Runners in the 2022 Giving Dash and Mini Dash

1,529

£224

Average gift during Giving Day 2023

Habs Giving Day 2024

Habs Giving Day 2024 will be held on 5-6 March 2024. The Habs Giving Dash and (for younger pupils and their parents) MiniDash will once again kick off this annual celebration of philanthropy. In addition to bursaries, this year we are raising funds to allow more Habs students to participate in Habs Community Partnerships work.

For more information and to get involved, scan below:

Independent school of the year award

The schools won a prestigious national award for the inaugural Habs Giving Day in 2022. ‘The Development Award for an Outstanding Fundraising Achievement’ was presented at Independent Schools of the Year Awards, where Habs was commended for an ‘innovative and effective fundraising initiative’ and ‘for bringing two communities together’.

Nina Saurymper, a Habs parent, accepted the award on behalf of the schools along with Habs Director of Development Bill Friar. Nina was a top Habs Giving Day Ambassador, inspiring 23 Habs families, including her own, to make a gift, raising thousands of pounds for the appeal.

Habs Community Partnerships programme

oshua Plotkin, Director of Partnerships

Partnerships in Numbers

This year our work with our seven local partner schools includes:

Our work is having a profound impact on disadvantaged schools in the communities around us.

The Habs Community Partnerships programme works with a network of seven local state partner schools to run 48 hours every week of co-curricular and academic sessions, with a focus on increasing the capacity of disadvantaged students.

It is a joy to lead the Habs Community Partnerships programme. Every day, we create extraordinary learning opportunities for both the children in our wider community and our students. Partnerships in full flow is a truly magical thing: students from different worlds building genuine, lasting, trusting relationships over weeks and months; thrilled to see each other and build on their learning every single week.

What do we want a Habs student to be?

Smart, and thoughtful, and courteous: that’s a given. But what makes them really special –capable, indeed, of having a profound impact in the world? For me, the answer comes in the work they do beyond the classroom, and even beyond the school gates.

Partnerships sessions are led by our brilliant team of 350 Habs students in Years 10 to 13, as well as dozens of members of staff.

1400 partner school students come to Habs to learn – or have Habs come to them – every week, building their skills in Maths, English, Science, swimming, modern languages, art, outdoor education, robotics, and a host of other subjects.

Habs students lead our partnerships work, and not out of some misplaced sense of altruism or charity: they are keenly aware of how much they benefit. Every week, they build their communication, leadership and planning skills: it’s education, not volunteering.

What’s more, they absolutely love it. On the way back to Habs a few weeks ago, I overheard one Year 11 student saying to another (in tones of the most breathless excitement): “That was the best thing I’ve ever done. In my life!”

61,000 hours per week of co-curricular and academic sessions

56

Habs staff involved every week

321 hours in total spent working in partnership

Staff in our partner schools gave the partnerships programme the following ratings on average:

To what extent do you value the partnerships work Habs does?

To what extent is this work valuable for your students?

To what extent do your students look forward to classes?

Do you want to continue being involved in working together?

Habs students involved every week

1,400

48 Partner school students involved every week

Habs students recognise what an important role their partnerships work has to play in their education, giving the Partnerships programme the following ratings:

To what extent do you enjoy your work with our partnerships?

To what extent do you think this work is valuable for the young people you are working with?

To what extent is your partnerships work developing your leadership skills? 8.3/10

To what extent is your partnerships work developing your communication and social skills?

Partnerships at Habs

How Wood: Maths, Science, reading partners, Swimming, Music

Fair Field: Maths, Science, reading partners, Computing, Drama, 4 afterschool clubs

London Academy, Grange Academy:

MHCHS (+2 others), Sixth Form Arts enhancement

Grimsdyke: Maths and reading partners

London Academy AIM Academies Trust

We run five weekly sessions together with London Academy, including Sports, Swimming, Music and Robotics with a cohort of disadvantaged Higher Prior Attainers (HPAs).

“The children were so enthusiastic when we met them, and I loved seeing them enjoying the sessions that we had planned. It was a super rewarding experience and great to see the kids smiling, laughing and having a great time!”

BENJAMIN STEINHART

Newberries: Science and 2 afterschool clubs

Cowley Hill: French, Science, Art, Swimming, Outdoor Education, 4 afterschool clubs

Monksmead: Science, swimming, Spanish, Maths, reading partners, 3 afterschool clubs

How Wood Primary School St Albans

How Wood Primary School students come to the Elstree campus on a weekly basis, for swimming coaching and Science lessons led by Habs students. 16 Habs students also go into How Wood every week to support Maths Enrichment and Reading.

"We welcomed the opportunity to be part of this amazing partnership because working with Habs serves to enrich our children's educational experience, and the Habs students’ contribution to enhancing our children's learning benefits both parties, making the partnership feel truly collaborative.

It's a delightful 'win win'."

CYNTHIA ROWE

Head at How Wood Primary School

London Academy: Swimming, Robotics, PE, Music, Maths, Reading partners, 2 afterschool clubs

“Watching the students’ enthusiasm has made each session rewarding and heart-warming. Observing their academic progress has been a truly fulfilling experience.”

YONATAN JESNER

L6 Habs Boys’ student

Monksmead School Borehamwood

We run sessions every week with Monksmead School students. One of the highlights is the Languages and Cultures Club, planned and delivered entirely by Habs students. The children look forward to seeing the teachers and students each week and are excited about their new learning.

"Parents have commented on how much they are enjoying lessons and teaching their families at home."

NATASHA MOYNIHAN

Monksmead class teacher

“It is one of the most fulfilling things I have done in my entire time at Haberdashers. Never before, have I had the opportunity to motivate, inspire and act as a role model for younger children whilst teaching a subject I am truly passionate about."

NATHAN WOLFSON

L6 Habs Boys’ student

Cowley Hill Primary School Borehamwood

We run eight sessions every week with Cowley Hill, including French, Science, Art, Swimming, Outdoor Education, Creative Writing, Mindfulness and Explorers’ Club, providing opportunities for hundreds of young people from both Habs and Cowley Hill to work together.

“This is what a rich curriculum looks like.”

LOU THOMAS

Deputy Head of Cowley Hill Primary School

“It has taught me so much— ways to encourage and engage with children depending on their individual interests, the importance of being prepared and communicating well as a team, how to be flexible when things inevitably go “off-script”— these are all valuable lessons gained with hands-on experience which no amount of training could’ve taught.

Ultimately, it just makes me so happy...”

JANA LAI

U6 Habs Girls’ student

Newberries Primary School Radlett

“The Partnership sessions at Newberries are giving Habs students the opportunities to engage in activities which help them develop new skills. It is brilliant to see them interact with the primary school children with so much enthusiasm, energy and kindness.”

ANA SELLEN Librarian at Habs Boys’

Fair Field Junior School Radlett

We run nine sessions every week with Fair Field, which sees hundreds of students working together on a range of subjects they are passionate about.

"We got involved to widen the children's experiences and ignite new passions. We believe in bringing learning to life and Habs are able to provide resources that can help us make that happen. Science Club is particularly popular!"

DAVINIA LEGGETT Fair Field Junior School Headteacher

“Watching the Habs girls step up and lead on experiments and seeing their kindness in action. They are such an enthusiastic bunch and really dedicated themselves.

Giving primary students the chance to get involved in hands-on science is a pleasure. It lights a fire for their imagination.”

KATE BRIDGE Head of Physics at Habs Girls’ and

Acting Head of Habs Diploma

“It has been immensely satisfying to see the sessions that my friends and I plan come to fruition, seeing the kids get some time to relax and have fun, excited to come back the next week. It’s been a great opportunity and I’m lucky to have been able to have taken part in such a rewarding experience.”

ISABELLA BORGESE U6 Habs Girls’ student

Grimsdyke School Pinner

“It has been wonderful having the students from Haberdashers on school site, the value of such a partnership are the skills that are role modelled for our children and the aspirations that it can generate. Grimsdyke students are experiencing first-hand what it means to be part of a community. A great experience for everyone involved.”

IAIN

SUTHERLAND Head of Grimsdyke School

“What I value about partnerships most is the range of skills I have gained week on week. Planning and then delivering the sessions has hugely improved my leadership, organisation and teaching skills. I’ve really enjoyed working with the year six students at Grimsdyke – they are all funny, friendly and excited to learn from me. I’m so grateful that I was given the opportunity to do this, and I look forward to continuing in the future!”

GAVRIELLA EPSTEIN-LIGHTMAN L6 Habs Girls’ student

Habs Giving Day

5-6 March 2024

This year the schools are raising funds for Habs bursaries and Habs Community Partnerships. Join us!

Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools Foundation Butterfly Lane, Elstree Herts WD6 3AF

foundation@habselstree.org.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8266 1963