Current Development Priorities
- The refurbishment of four science laboratories at a cost of £50,000 each = £200,000
- Sponsorship of our outreach programme (see below)
- The provision of twenty-five touch screen white boards at £2,000 each = £50,000
- Sponsorship (naming) of our new music recital room = £50,000
- Establishing a brand new, two-storey science block = £2,000,000
Science
Our inaugural Science Symposium took place in the Britton Centre in April 2024, and officially kickstarted our Campaign for Science, with an array of Wilson’s students, staff, alumni, and key supporters of the school in the room together. Attendees heard from Jeremy Bentham - Co-Chair at the World Energy Council – about tackling climate change whilst other student and Old Wilsonian speakers covered contemporary scientific topics. Following this, Mr McLaughlin spoke about the current challenges of teaching science at Wilson’s – related to our space issues, limited capacity, and outdated facilities – before Mr Edge and Ben Kott explored the power of investment, and what the Development Team hope to achieve.
Our interim target of £200,000 will allow us to refurbish four of our science laboratories which are in desperate need of upgrades. Our second Giving Day in September 2024 raised £106,000, meaning refurbishment work for two of our laboratories will take place in the summer of 2025.
Ultimately, our longer-term target is to establish a brand new science block at the back of the school. This will involve levelling the three 'temporary' laboratories that were winched in to the school 15 years ago, and building a permanent two-storey science block in its place. Including six laboratories of the future - featuring state-of-the-art equipment for our brilliant staff and students - this project will likely be in the region of £2,000,000. If you are interested in contributing to this project at a significant level, please get in touch with the Development Team.
Our Campaign for Science will drastically improve our facilities
Outreach
In addition to inviting support for our capital development programme, we are also seeking funding for our Outreach work. Founded in January 2019, The Wilson’s Outreach programme is designed to equip primary school children from some of the most disadvantaged sections of our local community with the knowledge, skills and confidence to sit entry tests for admission to selective schools.
In partnership with a number of other schools in Sutton, Wilson’s has established strong links with a number of local primary schools. Our Year 12 pupils and staff work with children to develop both mathematical and creative writing skills, and pupils from these schools have also visited Wilson’s to use our science facilities to take part in a teaching and activity ‘taster day’. Children involved with the scheme have a significantly higher chance of gaining a place at a selective school, improving their learning potential, life prospects, and enhancing social mobility in the local area.
The scheme costs £20,000 per year to run. Generous benefaction from an alumnus enabled us to operate the early stages of the Outreach programme and we are now seeking £100,000 to maintain and develop the programme over the next five years.
HRH Princess Eugenie at the opening of the Britton Centre