How we are funded

Dulwich Estate

The Dulwich Estate is a registered charity established by its founder Edward Alleyn in 1619 to offer educational opportunities to disadvantaged children. The Foundation’s relationship with the Dulwich Estate was started by Rev William Rogers, about whose work you can read more here.

Today, the funds from the Dulwich Grants are a critical part of the annual funding for both schools.

Some recent examples of how we’ve used this money to enrich our students’ experiences include helping towards the cost of eight music tutors which has increased the Boys’ School's already exceptional music provision. At the Girls’ School we were able to use the Dulwich Grant to onboard two Teach First candidates and provide them with the training necessary to qualify. Recruiting quality staff is increasingly difficult across the education sector so this initiative has been essential in maintaining our high educational standards.

Foundation Endowments and Funding

The Foundation has been fortunate to receive a number of endowments though its history. In recent years we have been given permission to sell land and property owned by the Foundation but no longer used directly by either school. This has enabled us to make major investments in the estate at each school. We set our wider financial strategy for spending the capital, where permitted, and interest from our endowment in accordance with our governing document. We use the income from our prizes and bursaries endowment every year to provide bursaries for individual students and to for student prizes and awards. Some of the most rewarding moments in the school year include the annual prize giving at the Girls’ School and Founder’s Day at the Boys’ School where we recognise and celebrate our students, and this is made possible by our endowment.

 Major building projects have been a fundamental part of the Foundation’s support to both schools in recent years. We are incredibly proud of the extensive redevelopment and refurbishment of the Boys’ School, and are excited about the planned works at the Girls’ School. You can read more about both these brilliant projects on our news and stories page here.

Legacies and Gifts

We’ve been fortunate that some of our past students have left us generous legacies and donations.

These include The Bendy Fund, created in 1999 by a legacy from former Boys’ School student Wilfred Bendy, and his wife. Wilfred was passionate about STEM subjects and this is reflected in how we can use his legacy. To date, some of this has been spent on re-equipping the Boys’ School science labs, and for science prizes at the Boys’ School to where spending the legacy is restricted.

In 2005 former student, governor and trustee of the Girls’ School Irene Buckman, made a generous donation to the Foundation. This now forms an endowment, the income from which is specifically for girls who go on to higher education. Irene, who was an ardent supporter of women’s education, was born in the east end where her parents ran a sweet shop and won a state scholarship to University College London from the Girls’ School.

Donations and Grants

Grants from companies and grant makers, and Individual donations allow the Foundation to extend the support available to our two State schools working in the heart of inner London communities. We collaborate with our Schools to raise funds for specific projects, to expand the extra-curricular programmes, further develop the schools’ facilities or support student welfare.

To find out more or donate to our current fundraising appeal to raise £150,000 to transform the Girls’ School’s sixth form outdoor and rooftop spaces, click here.

To get in touch to discuss other support or to make a donation, contact us here.