GIVING BACK

WGHS - Still in touch and giving back

The covid pandemic made it virtually impossible for people to visit school in person, including our esteemed alumna. However this did not prevent some alumnae from making a major contribution remotely, both in Yr 11 Futures Thinking lessons, school events including Junior School Speech Day and the Yr 10 Work Experience Conference and particularly through the new medium of Instagram TV Live. Furthermore, a growing number of our alumnae adorn the walls around the school - with inspirational images and messages.

Yr 11 Futures Thinking serves as a valuable introduction and insight into careers that the current students may or may not be aware of. Therefore if you would be willing and able to contribute to a 50 minute lesson in person or remotely, it would be greatly appreciated. The more diverse the careers on show, the more informed the students are likely to be of their possible future choices.

Alternatively if you would like to be part of a careers panel then the Year 9 and 10 events that take place throughout the academic year may appeal to you. These are interactive sessions in Jubilee Hall, primarily guided by questions from the audience.

In the spring term of next academic year, the Foundation is due to hold a “careers insight” event. As we plan this event, we are particularly interested in contributions from alumnae in less typical occupations and professions. The primary focus of the event is to highlight long standing and well established careers alongside new and emerging ones. In other words, how “jobs for life” are likely to be replaced by a “life of jobs”, underpinned by transferable skills, as the norm for future generations of students. Last but not least, Instagram TV live has in many ways been a revelation. Not only in showcasing an increasingly diverse range of jobs and professions, but in reconnecting many alumna with school and reflecting on the foundations for their success. If you are willing and able to share your story with the current generation of students at 4pm one Thursday afternoon, it would be our pleasure to welcome you as a speaker.

In summary your back stories, successes and achievements are both informative and inspirational to the current generation of students and often their parents. Therefore if you are willing and able to get “in touch” and give something back you are likely to facilitate even more students achieving the same heights as yourself. The mosaic/photo wall of Instagram TV should serve to illustrate the breadth and diversity of what the WGHS alumnae have done so far - with hopefully much more to come.

Thank you for your support.

Your back stories, successes and achievements are both informative and inspirational to the current generation of students and often their parents

”

Mr David Eggleston (DJE)

THE GIFT OF A WGHS EDUCATION

Why I give...

As we look back at the creation of WGHS in 1878, which led to educating women, which led to women gaining the vote; that wasn’t indulgent. It was visionary and farsighted. It was about creating the kind of country we all want to be part of. The reason I support the school is because I want future generations of the very brightest girls to enjoy the very finest education regardless of their backgrounds.” Amanda Mackenzie OBE DL, Old Girl 1982

Our commitment to help with fees

We are committed to ensuring that girls from all backgrounds can benefit from a WGHS education and we offer means-tested bursaries to help. However, we need your help to ensure that we can continue to offer this vital financial support.

125

Number of WGHS Senior School pupils supported by a bursary

21%

Percentage of WGHS Senior School pupils supported by a bursary

20

Number of year 7 entrants supported by a bursary Sept 2020 intake

4

Number of 100% + bursaries

Total bursary funding awarded by Wakefield Grammar School Foundation to pupils at WGHS... £1,042,000

PLAY YOUR PART

If all Old Girls reading this magazine were to give a single donation of £25 we would raise over £60,000 in support of our bursary programme. To make your donation please complete the form at https://WGHSIntouch.org.uk/wghsbursaryfund

Leaving a legacy

Some Old Girls may choose to leave a gift in their will to WGHS. If you would like to discuss leaving a legacy, please contact Catherine Worsley, Development Director, cworsley@wgsf.net 01924 231642

ALUMNAE VISItS

The interview-style assemblies led by Mr Eggleston (Deputy Head) continued to be popular during 2019. However, when the world changed in March 2020, we were unable to welcome you back to school in person, so, like everybody else, we have used technology to continue keep in touch!

At the start of term, in September 2020, Mr Eggleston introduced his Instagram live interviews. It’s been a real bonus for the girls to continue to be able to hear from you and because it is online, geography is no boundary! Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to be interviewed live over Instagram; you have all been superb.

Your support and commitment to these programmes is invaluable and imparting your knowledge and sharing your individual journeys across all our Giving Back Programmes, helps our girls to see their possibilities as limitless and go out into the world with a ‘I can do this’ attitude and we are proud and thankful in equal measure.

If you are interested in any of these initiatives, and would like further information, please contact cworsley@wgsf.net.

Instagram live interviews

INSTAGRAM INTERVIEWEES

OIivia Hunt Sam Wynn Lizz Wainwright Gemma Sykes Simone Allum Jo Stewart Fiona New (née Robertson) Sophie Ogg Charlotte Smith (née Youngs) Sophie Isaacs Holly Walters Francesa Rukin Emily Crowson Emma Brindley Alexis Barr Sanna Ahmad Alicia Collinson Amy Rennison Neena Dugar Sophie Carrigill Natalie Wright Kate McCabe Hayley Marsden Laura Siddall Alex Green Francesca Waugh Zoe Grunewald Louise O'Shea Heidi Allen Sophie Lowe Laura Gibb

Whilst every endeavour has been made to ensure that all Instagram interviewees are named, we apologise if there are any inaccuracies. Please let us know if this is the case.

Careers Convention

March 2020

In March 2020 it was QEGS turn to host the biennial Foundation Careers Convention. This is a significant event in the Foundation Calendar and is an integral part of the careers support offered to our students with the aim of providing information and insight into their future careers.

Students from Years 9-13, were given the opportunity to tour the exhibitors’ stands during their afternoon lessons. Alongside the main convention Years 11 and 12 were able to access an extensive programme of seminars and these were available to the rest of our students and their parents in the evening.

This year marked the 15th Foundation Careers Convention and saw representatives from over 50 different exhibitors; including employers such as KPMG, Rolls Royce and West Yorkshire Police as well as a wide range of colleges and universities. We were particularly delighted to be supported by our alumni and would like to thank the following for giving their time to contribute to this initiative:

Laura Cox (OG, 2013) Addleshaw Goddard

Lauren Will-Dixon (OG, 2012) Addleshaw Goddard

David Jenkinson (OS, 2009) Atkins

Alastair Morris (OS, 1998) Pryor Marking technology

Nick Thornton (OS, 2006) Rolls Royce

Matthew Smith (OS, 2008) Donaldson’s Vets

Chris Langrick (OS, 1997) Langricks Limited

Adrian Spawforth (OS,1981) Spawforths

If you would like to exhibit at our next careers convention in 2022, or can offer internships, work placements to current and past students, please contact cworsley@wgsf.net for further information.

tO ALL OF OUR AMBASSADORS... tHANK yOU

FINANCIAL GIFTS

All the gifts we receive, whether large or small, help us. They help us to provide better facilities and extra-curricular opportunities to broaden girls’ horizons. Most importantly they help us to continue to provide bursaries to bright young girls who would benefit from our specialist brand of education, but otherwise wouldn’t be able to access it due to family circumstances. As you will know, nurturing our girls, providing a first class education and equipping them with the life skills to go out into the world and challenge themselves is what we do. Together with your help, we can continue this tradition for many more years to come.

Thank you to those alumni, parents, and friends of the Foundation Schools, for all your gifts. As a community you are making a difference to future generations and for that, we are eternally grateful. Financial gifts aren’t the only way that you are helping. Your gifts of time and experience to our Giving Back Programme are enriching our girls’ experiences and instilling in them a sense of community and a culture of giving back.

DONORS

Julia Bradshaw & Patrick Addinall Ms Melissa Addy Dr Katherine Adler Mr Vinaykumar Ahir Mr William Asquith Mr Andrew Beales Mr Donald Beardshall Mr Stephen Beaumont Mrs Helen Bennett Mr & Mrs N Best Mr Paul Blakeborough Mr Roger Blakemore Dr Gerald Bloomfield Mr Jonathan Brain Mr William Bramley Dr Tim Brears Mr David Brindley Mrs Bronwyn Broadhurst Ms Judith Brown Mr Samuel Butterworth Ms Joanna Carlisle Dr Michael Cheesbrough Ms Stephanie Chui Miss Mildred Clark Mrs Jane Clarke Mrs Margaret Clayson Ms Penelope Cliffe Ms Lisa Colledge Mr Anthony Collett Mrs Geraldine Collie The Reverend Mrs Cecilia Conwaye-Wright Dr Richard Coppack Mrs Pat Craven Mrs Karen Crockford Mr Jeremy Crompton Dr Anna Crossley Ms Heather Danyluk Mr Robert Davidson Mr David Elliston Captain & Mrs G English Miss Julie Evans Mrs Claire Fairclough Mrs Catherine Featherstone Mr & Mrs M Fergusson Ms Louise Foster Mr & Mrs G Gilfeather Mr Simon Godley Mr Malcolm Golightly Mrs Caroline Gorton Mr Nigel Gray Mrs Jayne Grigg Mrs Joan Guénault Mr Rajiv Gupta Mr Geoffrey Haigh Mr Phillip Hodson Mrs Ann Holmes Ms Patricia Howarth Ms Heather Hughes Mr Andrew Hunt Ms Barbara Hunt Ms Georgina Hyde Mr & Mrs S Ingram Dr Meena Jain Mrs Janine Johnson Mr Christopher Jones Mr David Keighley Mr Saqib Khan Ms Michelle Kirschner Mr Christopher Knowles Mr & Mrs S Krasniqi Mrs Pat Langham Ms Katrina Law Mrs Claire Lawrence Mr Simon Leach Mr & Mrs J Longo Mr Iain MacDonald Mrs Amanda Mackenzie Mr & Mrs S Manoharan Mr John McLeod Mrs Laura McNeillie Mr Steven McTiernan Mr Christopher Millington Mr Ian Minards Mr Alastair Morris Mr & Mrs J Nakuti Mr & Mrs J Nutton Miss Louise O'Hare Mr Paul Oakley Dr & Mrs R Oba Mrs Mary Oldham Mrs Barbara Panton Mr Wayne Parkinson Mr Andrew Pelkiewicz Ms Natalie Petyt Ms Jean Piper Mr & Mrs C Plumpton Mr Srikanth Rajgopal Miss Louise Reeve Mr Richard Roberts Ms Jill Roe Ms Sarah Rushton Mr Sarwjit Sambhi Mrs Nicola Sephton Ms Shuchi Shah Mr Michael Shaw Dr James Shawcross Mr John Shirtliff Mr Geoffrey Skenfield Ms Helen Slinger Ms Rosalind Stead Mr Paul Sykes Ms Chantal Szymanska Dr James Tabner Ms Alison Tetley Ms Ruth Tetley Mr & Mrs P Thompson Mr John Thorp Mr Christopher Toone Mr & Mrs D Towler Ms Leah Tsirigotis Mr Michael Varley Mr Philip Way Mr Timothy Welton Mrs Shirley Wigglesworth Mr James Wild William Lamb Group Ltd Ms Bridget Wirtz Mr David Woodhead Mrs Glenys Woods Ms Anna Woolley Ms Catherine Worsley Mr & Mrs E Young Mr Peter Young WGHS PTA

100 donors wished to remain annonymous

The Foundation Ambassadors listed have pledged or made a gift to the Foundation schools. Whilst we endeavour to ensure that these lists are correct, we apologise if there are any inaccuracies. Please do let us know if this is the case.