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PROUD TO BE HABERDASHERS'
Our sponsors are a huge part of the culture within our Trust and our schools. The links with both of our sponsors are a unique and special part of what makes Haberdashers’ Trust and our schools what they are today.
The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers'
Our main sponsor is the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of London. Education is of prime importance to the Haberdashers’ Company and today there are more than 12,000 children and young people in the Haberdashers’ family of schools that benefit from the relationship.
Our Haberdashers’ roots go back as far as the 1680s when our founder, Robert Aske, left a sum of money to build a school for 20 underprivileged children. Despite his philanthropic work, Aske’s life and work is not without some controversy. In 1672, he made an investment of £500 in the Royal African Company. This was a trading company which traded slaves from Africa to the West Indies between 1660 and 1708. The history of the Slave Trade is painful and difficult to consider. It makes us question our assumptions about the past; answering these questions can deepen and enrich our understanding of our heritage.
Aske’s involvement in the slave trade is not in doubt, but it must be seen in the context of his legacy that has made such a significant contribution to our schools and the education of young people in our community. Moreover, the situation should encourage us to carefully consider how we educate students about slavery.
The Trust undertook a wide-reaching consultation speaking to pupils, parents, staff, our local communities and governors. Having looked at all the opinions the Trust decided that we will not use the name ‘Aske’ in the common name of our Trust and in our schools.
Being part of the Haberdashers’ community is very important to us. The Haberdashers’ come and visit our schools each year to hear from the children, to see what has been happening in our schools and to celebrate our achievements. The Haberdashers’ Company supports pupils, past and present, as they progress through their educational and professional journey, which offers our pupils in something truly unique.
Visit the Haberdashers' Company website
The Haberdashers' Advantage
There’s more to a Haberdashers’ education than what happens inside the classroom. We go the extra mile to ensure that each of our pupils is prepared and equipped for life beyond the school gates.
The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers generously provide support for our pupils by contributing to enrichment activities and subsidised travel opportunities, as well as funding annual student prizes. Steeped in tradition, a Haberdashers’ education is so much more than teaching and learning, with every student member becoming a lifetime member of the Haberdashers' family where they benefit from unrivalled networking and support opportunities through our Alumni Association. In 2020, there were 34 scholarships awarded across the Trust to a total value of £101,000.
The Haberdashers' Company funds specialist teaching in music and in sport to enable our students to excel in these areas. Annual book prizes are awarded to some students in each year group at our speech days and throughout the year, there are competitions across the Haberdashers’ schools, where students can compete for prizes.Haberdashers’ Opportunities include:
- All pupils visit the prestigious Haberdashers’ Hall in Smithfield
- Scholarships available for university courses and apprenticeships
- Livery Academy Awards and business mentors
- Participation in events like the Lord Mayor’s Show
- Haberdashers’ Musician of the Year
- Annual sporting competitions with other Haberdashers’ schools
- Oxford University Essay Writing Prize
- Monmouth City of London Work Experience Scheme
- The sixth form Haberdashers’ Advantage Scheme
Temple Grove Schools Trust
Temple Grove Schools Trust is a charitable trust dedicated to raising standards for primary education. The Trust was founded some 50 years ago and springs from one of the country’s oldest prep schools, Temple Grove founded in 1810. The Trust seeks to provide all children with a breadth and depth of learning opportunities in order to realise individual aspirations and potential.
Our schools are extremely fortunate to have a partnership with the Temple Grove Schools Trust. The schools benefit from bursaries that allow us the opportunity to give our children learning experiences they may not get at other schools; including music lessons, professional coaches and multiple trips.
