Community Work

Charitable and Volunteering Initiatives with KLS

Francis Holland School and The Katherine Low Settlement have an excellent longstanding partnership. FHS has raised money for good causes associated with KLS for several years and is now providing volunteers for some of their after school programmes. The Parents' Association are also heavily involved in raising funds and providing volunteers for the charity.

Background:
The Katherine Low Settlement has had a strong connection to FHS since its foundation. The Headmistress of FHS is a permanent trustee of the charity.

Pupil Involvement:
Seven Year 12 pupils have volunteered at KLS's Love to Learn after school programme. Girls in Year 7 wrap Christmas presents and decorate the settlement during the festive period and several visits are arranged, both for the FHS Lower school choir to sing at KLS and for KLS patrons to enjoy the FHS Summer Fete.

Frequency:
We are constantly looking for useful ways of strengthening our partnership and foresee that it will continue to develop on several fronts long into the future.

Beanstalk Book Festival

At Francis Holland School we host the annual Beanstalk Book Festival in our Senior Hall and Centre for Creative Learning. As well as this we support with fundraising and donations of good quality second-hand books.

Aims:
- Provide community access to our facilities.

- Facilitate reading in disadvantaged schools.

- Facilitate training for charity volunteers.

Background:
The school was approached by the charity and we were keen to closely support it with the management of the event, as well as the catering and providing a suitable venue. There have been two Beanstalk Bookfests so far and we intend to continue the festival annually.

Resources:
Venue provision (facilities, catering and tech support).

Headmistress and School Librarian attend.

Provision of second hand books from FHS pupils.

Authors are engaged to talk by the charity itself.

Impact:
Feedback actively sought from charity partner and from volunteers/pupils on the day itself.

Success measured by growth of event each year with plans to expand the festival to more pupils as the new venues in the school become available.

Pupil Involvement:
Pupils from a range of primary schools around London are invited by the charity along with volunteers from the charity.

Frequency:
This is an annual event.

Sixth Form Volunteering - In-Deep

Sixth Form pupils volunteer at In-Deep on Saturday mornings to support a Musical Therapy group for children with special educational needs. Pupils also support the monthly In-Deep lunchtime club for the isolated and lonely folk in the Westminster area.