Support Us

FOUNDATION

The Barrovian Foundation aims to support the development of the school, and its students, by raising funds for projects that enhance the educational offering King William’s College and The Buchan School provide, in order to enrich our students’ lives. We wish to sustain the core principles of the school, meet the challenges of independent education and secure a bright future.

AN ONGOING LEGACY

Like many great schools, King William’s College and The Buchan School have benefitted from the generosity of past benefactors. Bishop Barrow’s Foundation formed the base from which the College was built, and Lady Laura Buchan’s belief in education for girls allowed the Buchan to be established. Harold ‘Hockey’ Hughes-Games, our alter fundator, was instrumental in the major building works and expansion of KWC in the first half of the 20th Century. Throughout our history, legacies left by alumni and friends have created scholarships, enabled redevelopment and helped the school keep looking towards the future.

The 200 Campaign is the umbrella term for our 10-year plan to increase the number of bursaries we offer and improve our campus, particularly boarding. We need your help to achieve our ambitious aims. Many alumni, parents and friends of the school have already pledged their support and we are grateful to you for your involvement.

There are many ways you can choose to support – giving a one-off gift, supporting our regular giving programme or leaving a legacy. No matter the size of your donation, your help will make a lasting and valuable contribution.

GIVE A REGULAR GIFT GIVE A ONE-OFF GIFT LEAVE A LEGACY

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT

You may wish to give a specific sum of money to the school (a pecuniary legacy) or alternatively leave all or a percentage of the residue of your estate, after other bequests to your family and friends have been made and expenses have been met (a residuary legacy).

You may wish to give a specific possession such as property, valuables or stocks and shares rather than leaving a monetary donation. In some instances, we may wish to realise the monetary value of this gift and so, if you have other intentions, we advise you to contact us to discuss this.

Your generosity helps protect and enhance our intellectual property, enabling us to drive innovation and provide a top-tier learning experience. Together, we can make a lasting impact.

An unrestricted gift provides the most flexibility for the Foundation. Our current needs are primarily in expanding our bursary provision and investing in teaching and learning facilities, also boarding.

You may, however, prefer your bequest to be used for a specific purpose and we will of course honour your wishes. You may benefit from certain tax efficiencies by leaving a bequest to the Foundation. We recommend that you contact a legal adviser for further information and advice.

BURSARIES

THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF BURSARIES

Help us pave the way for a brighter educational future on the Isle of Man. Education is a powerful tool that has the potential to unlock opportunities and transform lives. However, for many promising students on our island, the path to education is blocked by financial barriers that threaten to stifle their dreams. This is where bursaries come into play. Your support will play a pivotal role in making these dreams a reality.

This is how bursaries transform lives:

Opening Doors. Bursaries open doors to education for talented and determined students who might otherwise be unable to pursue their academic ambitions. By removing financial constraints, we empower these students to focus on their studies, excel academically, and aspire to distinctive futures.
Creating Future Leaders. Every time we award a bursary, we invest in the future. These students are not just recipients of financial aid; they are future leaders, innovators, and change-makers. Your support will help us nurture the leaders of tomorrow right here on the Isle of Man.

Diversity and Inclusion. Bursaries play a crucial role in promoting diversity and inclusion within educational institutions. They enable students from diverse backgrounds to access the same educational opportunities, contributing to a richer and more vibrant learning environment right here in our island community.
Social Impact. When students succeed, it doesn’t just impact their lives; it has a ripple effect on their families and our local communities. Your support of bursaries extends its influence far beyond our school gates, creating a positive impact on the Isle of Man as a whole.

OUR BURSARIES

As we launch our school’s bursary campaign on the Isle of Man, we invite your support. Your donation will have a real impact on deserving students, providing them with the resources they need to excel and make a difference in our community. Every pound you give will be thoughtfully invested in their education.

We are grateful for your generosity and excited to see the achievements your support will inspire within our Island community. Thank you for believing in the power of bursaries to change lives right here on the Isle of Man.

If you wish to find out more about our bursaries, please contact us at foundation@kwc.im or +44 (0) 1624 820115.

GIVE A GIFT

No matter the size of your donation, your help will make a lasting and valuable contribution.

The Barrovian Foundation UK CIO is a registered UK Charity, number 1157260. If you are a UK tax payer, your donation can go even further with Gift Aid adding 25p to every £1 that you give.

GIVE A ONE-OFF GIFT

REGULAR GIVING

Regular giving is the backbone of the Foundation’s financial activity. It helps us plan with certainty for the future.

Please use the online form to direct your gift to one of the school’s development areas or leave it to our discretion. We will respect your wishes if you choose to be anonymous and you can be assured of our gratitude.

JOIN OUR REGULAR GIVING PROGRAMME

LEGACY

LEGACY GIVING

The greatest way you can show your support for the school, and preserve our community for future generations, is by pledging to leave a legacy gift to the Barrovian Foundation. All gifts, no matter the size, enable us to continue our work and ensure that the school can look to the future with confidence.

By making a legacy pledge to support the Barrovian Foundation you have the opportunity to:

Demonstrate your belief in what King William’s College and The Buchan School stand for and preserve this for future students.
Give something back to the school to show gratitude for the start it gave you, or your son or daughter.
Do more than might be possible in your lifetime.

We have established the 1668 Society to recognise those who have chosen to leave a legacy to the Foundation. This Society is named from the year Bishop Barrow set up his deed that led to the building of King William’s College and supported Lady Buchan’s efforts to establish The Buchan School.

If you have already made a will leaving a bequest to the Foundation, but have not yet let us know, please get in contact. If you have not yet made a will or wish to alter your existing will or add a codicil to include the Foundation, please contact your legal adviser for advice.

Once you have made or amended your will, we would appreciate that you advise us of your intentions. This has no legal status and will not restrict your freedom to amend your will in the future, but allows us to recognise your pledge and welcome you to the 1668 Society.

If you have already done so or wish to pledge a legacy, please let us know by contacting foundation@kwc.im or +44 (0) 1624 820115

PROJECTS

FOOD TECHNOLOGY LAB

Funds raised at the 2023 and 2024 May Balls, organised by Friends of KWC & The Buchan School, have brought to life a brand-new, state-of-the-art Food Technology Lab.

The fully completed space now offers pupils hands-on learning in modern cooking, nutrition and hospitality, enhancing creativity and essential life skills.

Music Mac Minis

The Music Mac Minis were donated in response to a need to update the IT offering within the Music department and has enabled students to embrace technological advances in music. Pupils have been given access to cutting edge technology to enable them to produce music electronically and access a range of resources to enhance their learning.

GOLF SIMULATOR

King William’s College has a state-of-the-art golf simulator using Skytrak+ and TGC 2019 which is set up in the junior pavilion. The high quality enclosure and projection screen make for an incredible indoor golfing experience, whether working on specific aspects of your game, or just playing a round with friends. TGC 2019 replicates over 100,000 real world golf courses, including Pebble Beach, St. Andrews and even Castletown Golf Links. Regular sessions are held in the simulator throughout the week during lunch breaks and boarding students can use the facility at evenings and weekends.

STENNING PLAYGROUND

Yamaha Clavinova

Thanks to a generous donation from a parent, pupils are able to access this high quality instrument for lessons and concert performances.

BUDDY BENCH

The Buddy Bench was placed in the Pre-Prep playground at The Buchan School, thanks to generous parents who provided a donation to fund the purchase of the bench. The idea of a Buddy Bench is to provide a place for the children to sit if they need a friend or someone to talk to.

Melissa Hawley, Head of Pre-Prep, said: “The children enjoy sitting on the bench and know if they see a friend there, they can go and have a chat and check in to see if they are okay. It’s a lovely initiative!”

3D PRINTER

Friends at Buchan (FaB) were delighted to fund the installation of a 3D printer at the Buchan. Using the 3D printer, children can design builds using specialist software, print and refine them.

Alan Macnair, Head of ICT, said: “The 3D printer is a great opportunity for the children to learn more about digital design within the ICT curriculum and gives a real purpose to 3D design – it encourages problem solving, creativity, hands on learning and increases engagement.”

Alan has started a unit of work in ICT using the 3D printer and hopes that it will eventually be able to provide cross-curricular links with Art.

CHAPEL SOUND SYSTEM

The Chapel Sound System has revolutionised Chapel Services for the School. The sound system is a welcome addition to the chapel it is now possible to hear everybody and anybody wherever they stand to deliver in chapel. There is a microphone at the lectern at the pulpit and a freestanding microphone that can move around.

DEFIBRILLATOR

The Buchan School installed a brand-new defibrillator, which has been supplied by Craig’s Heart Strong Foundation and generously funded by a parent. Charlotte Holtby kindly provided the funds for the new defibrillator due to Charlotte’s close ties with heart issues. Her son Freddie was diagnosed with a Bicuspid Aortic Valve when he was just eight weeks old and is under the care of Alder Hey. Her other son Luca was diagnosed with Patent Foramen Ovale (a small hole in his heart) when he was 14 years old.

Charlotte said “What Craig’s Heart Strong Foundation does is amazing. Providing The Buchan School with a defibrillator was not only a blessing and a privilege, but also it gives peace of mind to everyone that it is there; saving lives matters.”

Janet Billingsley, Head of The Buchan School, understands how important it is to have such medical provisions available. She said: “The Buchan School is extremely proud of our medical provision and we are grateful to Ms Holtby for her generous donation and Craig’s Heart Strong Foundation for providing this new defibrillator to our school.”

MUSIC LAPTOP

When Alicia Kiernan left the Buchan, her family gave a donation to the School’s Music Department. Alicia is a superb musician who sang in the Buchan Choir and was winner of the Buchan Masked Performer competition, during the 2022 lockdown. She was also Head of Choir 2022-23.

The money was used to purchase one of four laptops. The children in Prep use these laptops to compose and experiment with various online music programmes, such as Learning Music with Ableton and Chrome Music Lab.

Jenni Garrett, Head of Music, said: “This donation has made an enormous difference to the Music Department, allowing the children to access these online programmes, which help to enhance the provision of Music at The Buchan School. The children engage very well with the laptops and have enjoyed using the various music exploration sites.”

CHAPEL ORGAN

The organ is an integral part of Chapel Services, being used three times a week and for major Services and points in the liturgical calendar. It has also benefitted a number of pupils who have had organ lessons.

PADDLEBOARDS

With thanks to a very generous donation, KWC Boarders voted to obtain four brand new paddleboards, in order to enjoy the Irish Sea on our doorstep.

Susie Parry, Head of Boarding, said: “Our boarders spent the summer term of 2022 getting to grips with this new way to exercise, exploring our immediate coastline during the summer evenings. The paddleboards have brought joy, a sense of adventure, real team work (those paddleboards don’t pump or clean themselves!) and lots of individuals together. Such a pleasure to hear the laughter, see the smiles, and be begged to allow the boarders out on the paddleboards as often as possible, wind and tides permitting of course!”

SPORTS EQUIPMENT

Thanks to generous donations, The Buchan School were able to renew their sports equipment for pupils to enjoy during PE lessons and extra-curricular sports clubs.

BURSARY PROVISION

The diversity of our student body gives the School its unique identity. Over the last five years over £100,000 has been donated to support Bursaries and Scholarships for talented pupils, who would not otherwise be able to join our community.

DOSCH MACLEOD SCIENCE WING

At King William’s College we have completely refurbished our Science facilities thanks to a very substantial donation from the MacLeod family. Five brothers from the family have been members of the College in recent years and the donation is in memory of one of the brothers, Dosch, who tragically died in a car accident in 2014. His ambition was to study Medicine at university and it is hoped the new science wing, which is named in his honour, will enable others to achieve that goal.

Seven laboratories have been totally redesigned and fitted out with the latest equipment, together with the Bragg Lecture Theatre, named after our most famous old boy, the Physics Nobel Laureate William Bragg.

STEAM STUDIO

Thanks to a generous legacy from a parent of a former Buchan pupil, in addition to donations from the school’s community and Friends at Buchan, we have established the Buchan STEAM Studio. The Studio aims to help children develop skills from an early age based on teaching methods in line with STEAM education.

The Studio is kitted out with a range of LEGO® products to guide student inquiry, dialogue and critical thinking that integrate with the STEAM learning system, helping youngsters to develop innovative mindsets with the ability to think creatively.

Ultimately, we hope the studio will become a hub for the local community, bringing together schools, teachers, parents and companies to provide STEAM education for pupils that will last a lifetime and help inspire tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.

THE BUCHAN LIBRARY

In 2018 Friends at Buchan (FaB) helped to fund the refurbishment of the Buchan Library. In the new space, pupils can comfortably relax with a book on a variety of bean bags and cushions or take a seat on one of two funky sofas. The refurbishment has been a welcome improvement to provide a cosy hub to the centre of the School.

School House Kitchen

KELLY LANGUAGE LAB

In 2018 we were pleased to welcome Henry Kelly (H, S 1964-72) to open a brand new language lab at KWC, made possible thanks to his generous support. The impressive 16 computer facility includes state of the art technology which will not only help improve vocabulary, expression, grammar and pronunciation, but will allow students to listen to and speak different languages more than is normally possible in a traditional classroom environment.

We believe that strong language skills are an asset which promotes a lifetime of effective communication. The Kelly Language Lab will allow students to practise without the fear of judgement or making mistakes. They can work at their own pace and learn their language in context. This is particularly motivating for our young people who can see first-hand how their language skills benefit them in real life situations.

THE KITTO STUDIO

Nicholas Kitto (D 1968-1972) and his family have generously supported the Arts at College in celebration of his and other family members’ time here, including his grandfather John “Jack” Kitto (D 1905-1911), who was Head of Dickson and a member of the 1st XV. His donation provided funds to equip the Art Department with new resources, including an excellent A1 photographic printer, and funded an annual photography prize.

In 2015, as part of a joint project with Friends of KWC, the College renovated the space on the ground floor of the Art Department. The new space is used by all age groups during teaching, as well an exhibition area for students and visiting artists. It has been named The Kitto Studio in recognition of the support of the Kitto family.

THE DOWNWARD MEMORIAL LECTURE

Major General Sir Peter Downward (OKW 1936-1941) was an outstanding alumnus and keen supporter of College. He sadly passed away in 2014 and since 2015, in recognition of his love for his old school, Sir Peter’s family generously fund an annual lecture that forms part of the Sixth Form lecture series. The ‘Downward Memorial Lecture’ allows students to hear from leading speakers from the fields of Science and International Relations, two of Sir Peter’s primary interests. Speakers have included Sir Peter’s son Professor Julian Downward, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE and Greg Whyte OBE.

Contact us

If you’d like guidance on supporting King William’s College and The Buchan School, we’re here to help.

For more information, contact Jo Thornton, Alumni and Development Officer, at foundation@kwc.im or call +44 (0) 1624 820115.

Together, we can make a lasting impact!

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