John Hampden Grammar School’s bid to build innovative hub

John Hampden, a grammar school in High Wycombe that receives aid as part of The Furniture Makers’ Company’s Supported Schools initiative, is asking livery members to back its bid for £5 million of government funding to develop its design & technology facilities.

The £50 million Selective Schools Expansion Fund (SSEF) was set up by the government to enable grammar schools to expand and enable more disadvantaged children to attend.

John Hampden is bidding for the money to build an Innovation Hub. The school hopes to build a brand new design and technology suite, so that they can support students in their studies, which could to lead to careers in design, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.

The expansion will also mean the school will be able to take an additional 150 children within five years.

Charles Vernon, Past Master and former training & education chairman, said: “The teaching of design & technology at GCSE is critical to the long term prosperity of the UK furnishing industry, which contributes £16.7 billion to the UK economy and employs 327,000 people across 50,000 registered companies.”

There has been concern due to the Government push for study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, has meant a reduction in funding for the arts.

By funding an expansion at John Hampden more students from all backgrounds, including deprived backgrounds, will be given the opportunity to study design and technology as well as the EBacc subjects therefore best preparing them for a range of careers in this important sector of the UK economy.

John Hampden would greatly appreciate any support the livery can offer.

Please can you take the time to write a short email simply saying that you support John Hampden’s bid? Emails or letters should be sent to Headspa@jhgs.bucks.sch.uk by Monday 9 July at 5:00pm.