The AKS Lytham Foundation and Development Office Impact Report 2022-2023

Welcome from the Headmaster

This was a small part of a remarkably busy year. We welcomed 250 delegates from across the world as we jointly hosted the Round Square International Conference, forging and rekindling some global friendships; our Performing Arts faculty staged a brilliant showing of Chicago at the Lowther Pavilion, exceeding their normal exceptional standards; students in Years 7 and 12 completed compelling and esoteric academic research projects as part of the FOSIL programme; countless adventurous individuals headed out on expeditions as part of the Duke of Edinburgh award, our CCF, and elsewhere; pioneering entrepreneurs earned national awards participating in the Tycoon in Schools competition; and, in sport, individuals and teams enjoyed regional and national honours in hockey, rugby, football, cricket and others.

A key development has been the launch of the AKS Lytham Foundation. It is wonderful to see close to a thousand alumni already having joined the OAKSconnect website, bringing together the wider school community and uniting students past and present under one banner. The purpose of the Foundation is, ultimately, to make a real difference to individuals where the need is greatest, whether that is by providing life-changing, transformational bursaries, offering careers support and mentoring, or developing facilities and opportunities that will impact the education the school can provide.

The motto of our school is Change Your World, and we seek to provide people with the ability and inclination to do exactly that. That spirit ran as deeply in the vision and mission of our heritage schools as it does in the AKS of today. I take none of this for granted: thank you to everyone for your support, in whatever way and at whatever level, because it means we can change the worlds of so many people for the better.

David Harrow, Headmaster

Over the past academic year we were delighted to be judged ‘Excellent’ across the whole school by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, and ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted for our Early Years provision – the highest possible grades – and, whilst the dayto-day life in school is rather more important that the swift assessments of such esteemed visitors, it was reassuring to see our school understood and appreciated by others.

From our Director of Development

on the progress we have made for our alumni and school since the new Development Office was established at AKS last September.

Our new alumni platform and CRM oaksconnect.com was introduced in December 2022 and the online network continues to grow, with over 800 people joining from across the globe. This is a valuable and free resource for alumni and former teachers and staff from our heritage schools, as well as parents and grandparents of AKS today and we look forward to you joining this growing community if you haven’t already. It’s a great way of reconnecting with former friends and colleagues, seeing school photos from your past, booking onto events as well as keeping up to date with all your alumni news.

To recognise our heritage, we have installed a new Notable Alumni Gallery in the Sixth Form to recognise former pupils of the heritage schools and to inspire our current and future students. There is also an online version of the gallery on oaksconnect.com.

In May, the Upper Sixth Celebration Evening was a great opportunity to welcome the Class of 2023 to the OAKS alumni, with over 90% of our Year 13 students joining oaksconnect.com so that they can keep connected.

We also held a successful launch event at the school for the AKS Lytham Foundation in May. Over one hundred guests attended, including our Foundation Patrons as well as alumna and alumnus featured in our new Notable Alumni Gallery. Our patrons represent notable alumni and leaders from each of our heritage schools who will support us to share the vision and endorse our ambitions for the AKS Lytham Foundation.

Through the Change Their World Bursary Fund we want to help transform the lives of local children who might otherwise not be afforded the chance. Therefore, the first aim of the AKS Lytham Foundation is to provide 10 transformational bursaries from Senior School through the Sixth Form. This would mean that an AKS Lytham Foundation Bursary would cover not only tuition fees but all associated costs such as uniform, curriculum trips and lunches. This ambition will require us to raise £1.3 million for the Change Their World Bursary Fund over the next few years.

Over the next 12 months, we are also keen to engage with alumni and supporters who wish to gift their expertise and time and support with careers education and mentoring either through careers events in school or online through our new online mentoring service, Beyond AKS.

I am delighted to share with you this first Impact Report and am looking forward to the year ahead.

Sarah Walton, Director of Development 01253 376040 sarah.walton@akslytham.com

This summer has provided an opportunity to reflect

Alumni 2022-2023

OAKS is the AKS alumni for our legacy schools Arnold, King Edward VII, Queen Mary, KEQMS and graduates from AKS today, plus past and present teachers, staff, parents and grandparents as we move into the future as a combined community encapsulating each school under the OAKS association.

Progress made since the new Development Office was established in September 2023.

Oaksconnect.com

880

Notable Alumni Gallery

people have joined our new alumni platform from across the globe portraits featured We are proud to introduce the first phase of the new Notable Alumni Gallery in our Sixth Form Centre to recognise former pupils of the heritage schools and also to inspire our current and future students. photos videos added

Careers Education and Mentoring Support

&

We already have

Events

Online Mentors supporting Beyond AKS since its launch in July 2023

We have held events and have more alumni events planned for the year ahead.

Social Media

Publications

10 1,126

Facebook followers

917 29 36 48 5 2 79%

Launch of OAKSAKS Instagram

The OAK Magazines published Average online open rate

Beyond AKS

Careers Education and Mentoring Support

One of the most valuable ways alumni can stay involved with AKS is by volunteering their time to build connections with current students and fellow alumni and supporting with careers education and mentoring. You have a unique perspective of the student experience and an unparalleled opportunity to help equip the next generation with the skills they need to succeed.

Our new online mentoring service

Beyond AKS is our new online mentoring service where AKS graduates and alumni with years of experience can connect to share advice, ask questions, and offer support. We invite both those considering what to do after school and those looking to further or change their careers to use this service, which is supported entirely by our OAKS alumni volunteers. Our ambition is to be able to offer online support with CV reviews, careers guidance, industry/sector specific help, interview prep, mentor relationships, return to work advice, advice around setting up a business or advice about relocation.

This service is only possible with the support from our alumni community and so we welcome more OAKS alumni to register with us as mentors. By registering with us, you will be able to promote your areas of knowledge with contact details for people to get in touch, ask questions and offer support.

To register as a mentor

Join our new alumni website oaksconnect.com

During the registration form, you will be able to choose if you would like to support as an online mentor and exactly what you could support with.

If you have already joined oaksconnect.com, then you will just need to update your profile.

• When logged in to oaksconnect.com, go to My Settings

• Scroll down to the mentoring section

• Tick the boxes against what kind of support within our online mentoring programme you would like to give.

• You profile will now feature as a mentor on the carousel on the careers page on the website so that others in need of support can find you!

lntroducing

Your opportunity to transform a young person’s life through education

On 5th May 2023, the Development Office launched the school’s new charity, the AKS Lytham Foundation at an event at the school.

Historically, the heritage schools always supported people through the Direct Grant and elsewhere, and we hope to rekindle those opportunities through our first Bursary Appeal. We believe that in an ideal world, the opportunities that an AKS Lytham education offers, would be available to any bright young person regardless of their family’s circumstances.

The school already supports a number of students throughout the Senior School and Sixth Form with bursarial assistance of some sort, and our ambition is to be able to offer many more fully-funded parental means-tested bursaries. This would mean that an AKS Lytham Foundation Bursary would provide financial support to those families who would benefit the most and the support would cover not only tuition but all associated costs such as uniforms, curriculum trips and lunches.

(Charity

No 1191646)

Our Patrons - supporting and endorsing our vision

We are being ambitious with the Foundation in the sense that we want to be able to offer as many transformational bursaries to young people as possible. To achieve these ambitions, we can’t do this alone.

The Foundation is being supported by 11 Patrons who represent notable alumni and leaders from each of our heritage schools who will support us to share our vision and endorse our ambitions.

Stephanie Burras, CBE Business Leader, QMS Alumna

Professor Cherry Wainwright Research Professor, QMS Alumna

Sara Hanks Corporate and Securities Attorney and Business Founder, QMS Alumna

Jason Langley Actor, KES Alumnus

Richard Frediani TV Journalist and Leader, KES Alumnus

Tom Pemberton Farmer, Author and Social Media Influencer, KEQMS Alumnus

Bill Gillen Headmaster of Arnold School, 1993 – 2003

John (pictured) and Duncan Armfield Arnold Alumni and sons of the late Jimmy Armfield CBE

Sir Bill Beaumont Rugby Legend, former Governor of Arnold School

Lady Hilary Beaumont QMS Alumna

Donor Roll

Thanking our

Supporters

We are enormously grateful to our early donors who supported the Foundation in its inaugural year resulting in a launch that has exceeded all of our expectations.

Founding Donors

The following donors have gifted £2,000 or more to the AKS Lytham Foundation and have been entered in our Benefactors’ Book which is located in the Senior School foyer.

Founding donors who have supported the AKS Lytham Foundation Bursary Fund:

• The Old Arnoldian Association

• Dr Josephine Venice Curry, Old Arnoldian

• Mr Ian Gledhill, in memory of Mr Keith A Gledhill MBE DL, both Old Arnoldians

• Mr Phil Owen, Old Arnoldian and AKS Lytham Chair of Governors

• Mr Bill Gillen, Headmaster of Arnold School 1993 to 2003 and AKS Lytham Foundation Patron

• Mr Michael Greenwood, Old Lidunian

• Ms Sarah Hanks, Queen Mary Alumna and AKS Lytham Foundation Patron

Single Donations

The following donors have made a single donation through our website oaksconnect.com

• Philip Trangmar, Old Arnoldian

Regular Donors

The following donors have set up a monthly donation through our website oaksconnect.com

• Chris Dickson, Old Lidunian and Chair of the AKS Lytham Foundation

• Alex Cooper, KEQMS Alumnus

• Jane Raybould, Grandparent of AKS Lytham

Since launching on 5th May, we have raised £51,016 in donations for our Bursary Fund

Change Their World Bursary Appeal Over Vision

Transformational Bursaries

Our mission is to provide an exceptional and rounded education to those young people that would benefit the most, regardless of their background and financial means.

We have always worked hard to help those without the financial means to access an education at AKS and we currently provide some bursarial support to a number of pupils.

We believe that replacing the Direct Grant and Assisted Places schemes with our own philanthropic drive, creating opportunities for more children with ability and determination, is a full circle back to the core purpose of our heritage schools and is central to the ethos of AKS today.

Unlike many schools who benefit from an endowment, we are building an entirely new fund to achieve our ambition for this first bursary appeal.

The first aim of the AKS Lytham Foundation is to provide 10 transformational bursaries. This would mean that an AKS Lytham Foundation Bursary would cover not only tuition fees but all associated costs such as uniform, curriculum trips and lunches.

NEW PUPILS 10

£1.3m Transformational Bursaries 110% Support for from Senior School through to Sixth Form

Need to raise over the next few years

This ambition will require us to raise £1.3 million for the Change Their World Bursary Fund over the next few years.

Ways to Support Us

Sponsor a student*

Leading the Change Their World Campaign are donors who effectively sponsor individuals, particularly at Sixth Form level. This is an opportunity to support young adults with talent and determination, who understand that their place is offered with philanthropy and who recognise the relationship between the donor, school and their own family.

Within two years, a donor can see the difference their gift can make in transforming a 16-year-old with ambition, into a young adult ready for the world. Donors can support 110% of fees for a Sixth Form student either individually or as part of a group. Please contact our Director of Development for more information.

Single gift*

We welcome single gifts of any amount. Donors of £50,000 or more may, if they wish, have their name inscribed on a recognition wall in the entrance to the Senior School. Donations of £2,000 or more will be entered into our Benefactors’ Book displayed in our Senior School foyer. The first 50 donors will be recognised as Founding Donors of the Foundation. Please contact our Director of Development for more information.

Regular giving*

Donors are encouraged to give regular amounts to support children throughout the school. Though a gift of any size is appreciated, we welcome £20 a month as a starting point. Collectively giving like this means that the whole AKS community can take part and share the benefit of giving children the opportunity to be educated at AKS. To make a monthly donation, please visit oaksconnect.com/supportus

Leave a Legacy

Leaving a legacy gift to the AKS Lytham Foundation in your Will is one of the most powerful and lasting gifts that can be made. Leaving a gift in your Will may be more feasible than making a current gift and can have tax advantages. Once you have made provision for your family, we would be delighted if you would consider supporting the AKS Lytham Foundation. We understand that circumstances change. You do not need to let us know the value of your planned gift and it will not represent a binding commitment. When pledging a legacy, you can decide where you want your support to go. Making a will is a very personal matter and we assure you that your plans will be held in the strictest confidence. Including a legacy in your Will is a simple matter, although we strongly advise that you take professional legal advice. Please talk to our Director of Development for more information and a confidential discussion.

Gifts

of Time and Expertise

Support students and fellow alumni with careers education and mentoring

At AKS, our diversity of excellence extends throughout our community. We are happy to welcome alumni, parents and friends to share their time and expertise with students and fellow alumni.

Please visit oaksconnect.com/careers for more information.

There are many ways to support us through donations of funds, time and expertise.

*UK tax-paying donors may be eligible to include Gift Aid on their charitable contributions.

To find out more about the Change Their World Campaign to support young people at AKS through bursaries, to speak to us about events, mentoring opportunities, visiting the school or to discover more about the history of AKS, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

Sarah Walton Director of Development Development Office, AKS Lytham

T 01253 784100

E sarah.walton@akslytham.com