Why support our worK?
Join us at the start of our new fundraising journey
We fund the school in a variety of ways, which you can explore in more detail on our overview of our work page. We are at the beginning of an exciting new chapter, and any support you can offer will significantly amplify our impact on behalf of the students. Our supporters are central to everything we do — your donations help make our work possible.
As outlined in our financial information section, we are fortunate to have an investment fund, built over time through legacies and generous contributions from alumni and friends of the school. This fund provides income to cover our ongoing commitments: contributing 10% toward the school’s capital projects, meeting our running costs, and supporting a small grant-making programme focused on our key priorities — especially initiatives that benefit students from under-resourced backgrounds. This means that the vast majority of all donations received from supporters are able to be put forward towards the projects and initiatives that help make a difference to the educational experiences of our pupils.
Join us at the start of our new fundraising journey:
We are now looking to grow our grant-making capacity through additional fundraising, both within the school community and beyond. While we have received large donations in the past we have not been set up as a publicly fundraising charity - and so becoming a supporter now is a chance to be one of our earliest supporters.
If you're considering a one-off or regular donation to the Trust, below are some examples of how your support can make a meaningful difference to pupils at the school.
Ensuring the Mill is available for all:
One of the standout features of the school is the commitment it has to ensure all students are able to take part in its Outdoor Education program which contains annual residential trips to the Mill in KS3. While these trips are kept as affordable as possible the cost will always be beyond some families. We are committed to helping the school ensure financial barriers do not prevent any student from attending this core Ellis experience.
We have made a financial commitment of £7,500 this year to offset these costs for pupils and the school this year. Any and all support is welcomed to help us grow this donation and safeguard these experiences for all.
While the length of the residential trips increases as students move through different year groups, a donation of:
£49 funds a one night residential trip for one pupil
£90 funds a two night residential trip for one pupil
£115 funds a three night residential trip for one pupil
£138 funds a four night residential trip for one pupil
From the Boys: A co-produced podcast series
We are delighted to be building on the rich work between Middlesex University and William Ellis School in 2026.
’From the Boys’ is the working title for a series of six podcast episodes exploring what it means to be a boy growing up in Camden today. Much of the debate around masculinity is polarised and is often about teenage boys, without including their voices. This project will work with Year 10s as co-producers, not subjects, and they will be supported to create narratives and give us an understanding of where they feel they are today - in their own words.
The project will provide valuable development in professional skills such as audio production, recording, story-telling and marketing as well as give us all a valuable resource in understanding these future men better.
The project has already secured funding from alumni via an individual donation and our Rather Use Than Fame Club as well as support from a local funder. We need to raise a final £3,250 to deliver the full project in the summer of 2026. Any and all support is welcome.
Help increase our strategic funding pots
We believe in backing the expertise within the school and championing staff to deliver the impact we all want to see. We have a set base agreement with the school for funding across our Leadership, Staff Innovation and Trustee funding streams each year – and additional income raised can build these out further and increase what we are able to support the school and pupils to achieve.
This way of working between the Trust and the school is new this financial year, and we look forward to reporting on what has been funded and the impact it has had in the near future.
We hope you will consider being a part of this journey with us.
Our More Than a Playground campaign:
The redevelopment of the playground is a key focus for both the school and the Trust over the next eighteen months to two years. Through creating an outstanding outdoors space and sports facilities for pupils we will be able to significantly enhance their school experience.
It will also open up opportunities for a wider range of projects and initiatives the Trust is keen to develop at the school including our ‘Giving Back to the Game’ initiative. This will see us working with partners in Camden to deliver referee and coach training courses at the school for current and former pupils, as well as other young people in the borough.
It will also create excellent sporting facilities for hire by local residents to create an income stream for the school, as well as expand our ability to work with local charities and organisations to provide these at a reduced rate during holidays and on Saturday mornings.
