The Duchess’s High School Trust was established to support the education and development of 1400 students at the Duchess’s Community High School (DCHS) and to provide facilities and resources which would not otherwise be available. The Trust was dormant for a number of years but in 2018 it was reinvigorated with a new board of trustees appointed in 2020 to rebuild activity and develop new projects for the benefit of the school and wider community. Over the last year, we have, more than ever, become convinced of the need for our charity in delivering activities, within school but additional to the school’s statutory responsibilities, which support young people in our rural community.
Our charity works in collaboration with DCHS to develop new initiatives, access funding and seek partnership support for projects that fulfil our charitable objects and enable access to activities which benefit pupil wellbeing, enrich the school experience and create new opportunities to learn. In a more urban setting, many of these activities would often be offered in the community but, in rural Northumberland, it is essential that activities are hosted by the school and during the school day to ensure that all pupils, even those who live in the most rural and isolated villages, have access. By working in close partnership with DCHS we are an inclusive charity, benefiting 1400 young people.
Our priorities are to facilitate activities which
1. Remove barriers to learning
2. Provide new learning opportunities
3. Enhance the learning environment
In 2022 we are focused on supporting a return to normal following two extremely disrupted years of education for our young people. This will include increasing lunchtime provision so that students can access a range of sporting, recreational, social and cultural activities during the school day; bringing exceptional cultural learning experiences to Alnwick (e.g. visiting shows, theatre, authors, musicians and other experiences which would usually involve travelling to Newcastle, Durham, Edinburgh or further afield); continuing our breakfast provision; facilitating a return to sporting activities; and providing more digital equipment to build on best practice developed in lockdown.
All activities supported by the DCHS Trust are in addition to any statutory responsibilities and would not be possible without additional funding.
