On behalf of the Governors, can I start by welcoming you all back to our ‘virtual’ school, and I hope that you and your loved ones continue to enjoy good health. Whilst I do not normally send a letter to parents at the start of a term, I felt that in these extraordinary times I should share my perspective on both the provision of education and the economic impact over the coming months.
Sadly, I know that several in the Stover community have been personally touched in some way by coronavirus, and our thoughts are very much with those who have suffered loss or illness.
There is no guidebook to tell us what to do in these unprecedented times. Significant change at pace was required in how we approached this term and I am hugely grateful to Richard Notman and all of his team for their unstinting energy to ensure that we are ready to go from this week.
From the outset of the COVID crisis, our priority has been our pupils. Our intent has been to minimise the educational, social and emotional impact during this time. Clearly we won’t get it all right first time. None of us can pretend the coming weeks will be the same as being physically present in school. If or when a glitch emerges, please do assume positive intent and rest assured that everyone is committed to delivering the best education we can. I would, however, ask for your help. Where you encounter problems, please share them with the teaching staff so they can be addressed for all of our community.
The economic impact of the virus is increasingly plain to see and we know many parents will be directly affected. Some of you have asked both about the School’s continuing financial viability and what the School will do to support families over this period and I wanted to directly address both in turn.
Stover School does not have a large endowment fund or reserves built up over decades nor a crystal ball on what the coming months and years hold. What we are, is a success story based on a vision that has remained unchanged for 90 years. Your support as parents in paying the fees, growing pupil numbers and careful stewardship of our resources have allowed us to post a surplus in each of the last few years. As you would expect, we have moved our focus from discussing where we re-invest to where we can save costs without impacting the education you value.
Whilst there is no short-term need, through prudence as opposed to necessity, we have worked closely with the bank and were the situation to rapidly deteriorate can confirm there is significant credit available to the School which, when combined with potential cost-saving initiatives, would allow us to see out a very extended and severe downturn. Last year’s accounts are available from the Charity Commission website or the Bursar’s office should you like a copy. In short, we are financially stable and I, together with the governing body are very confident that based on what we know today, the long-term future of the School is not in doubt.
Turning to the second question, many of you will have read recent media commentary on what the independent school sector should be doing to acknowledge the pressures parents are under. As Governors, we are very aware of this, often from personal experience. We are committed to doing our best to hold the school community together so that we return with as similar a cohort of pupils as we had before the virus hit.
We are doing three things to support this.
Individual support. Mr Notman and Mr Jenkins are already engaging with a number of families who are facing significant hardship or a change in circumstance due to the pandemic. If this also applies to you, please do get in touch with our Bursar, Mr Jenkins, as he urged in his recent email. Where we can provide short term individual support, we will.
Full School Discount. With so much uncertainty we are not currently able to responsibly offer a discount to all. However, in recognition of the inevitably reduced offering this term, this will be a key agenda item at the next scheduled meeting of the Governing Body after which I will write again to all parents with an update.
Government Supported Discount. The government has announced a range of measures to support the economy and where we can, we will take this support. Many government payments are several weeks away and the exact amount is uncertain. We do not however intend to profit from this funding and will actively explore whether any surplus can be passed onto parents in future terms as the details and impact become clearer. Once again, I will write with an update.
With so much to deal with in a short period of time, we have not got everything right. Like many of you, we have had to make rapid and difficult decisions. I am sorry where this has caused unnecessary angst or confusion. I am pleased that in almost all cases we have been able to resolve things satisfactorily. Where not, and if Richard, Ben or Patrick cannot answer your queries, or if you would like to discuss anything in this letter, then please do write to me. I can be contacted via email at chairofgovernors@stover.co.uk
Looking to the term ahead, can I finish by thanking all of our Community, Staff and Parents for your ongoing support and confidence in our School.
No doubt like you, I also look forward to that moment when once more we can gather together at our school, as one community.
In the meantime, I hope you and your families stay healthy.
Best wishes,
Mr Stewart KillickChair of Governors
