Celebrating 150 years in 2025, Pinewood has been a highly successful school for many decades. The belief in character development and learning outside the confines of a formal classroom was deeply rooted in the school’s early days and this continues today. The Pinewood Foundation helps to finance the school’s development strategy and supports an endowment fund for children who otherwise wouldn’t be able to benefit from a Pinewood education.
We have a long history of generous donors who have helped to fund aspects of school development. From projects such as the original gymnasium in the 1960s and the music school in the 1980s, to the first astroturf in 2002, and more recently, the enclosure for the swimming pool in 2025 allowing for a year-round swimming provision.
Supporting Pinewood by giving to the Foundation helps to secure our future by providing for the school both in terms of educational development and capital projects, and for individuals in providing transformational bursaries. By donating you help to provide that opportunity for others to experience the nurture, challenge and breadth of learning that characterises what we offer. Your gift makes a tangible difference.
Funded through income and in pursuit of the school’s charitable aims, we aim to support on average around 5% of pupils per year. By providing opportunities for individuals our school community is enhanced, not only through their gifts and abilities, but also through fostering new insights in others. Donations in this area from former parents and Old Pinewoodians are key in augmenting support.
“I really enjoyed my time at Pinewood. The teachers were kind and supportive, and I learned a lot about discipline, confidence, and respect. I made good friends and had many fun experiences in lessons and school trips. Pinewood also inspired me to aim high for my future and helped me understand different people. I’m very grateful for everything I learned at Pinewood; it gave me a strong foundation for my new school and life ahead.” Recent recipient of a Bursary
Generations of Pinewoodians have had the joy of swimming in the summer term, but it was a long term aim to ensure that swimming could take place all year round by enclosing the pool. In 2023 an appeal, led by Ed Mawle (OP 1986) was made to Old Pinewoodians for support to help ensure this project could be realised with the aim to raise funds in honour of Patrick Mackie, a longstanding schoolmaster here (1961-1996).
With the generosity of our community, the all weather poly-carbonate enclosure was completed and ready for use at the start of 2025, and in May 2025 was fittingly opened by former Headmaster Henry Boddington at a 150th event attended by many Old Pinewoodians. Today, with gratefulness for the generous support from OPs, pupils now swim throughout the year regardless of the weather.
Designed to meet the evolving needs of the school, the Hoyland is a bright, open building featuring six classrooms with direct outdoor access, a dedicated SEND suite for specialised support, and a versatile new assembly hall alongside offices for staff. Completed in 2022 and opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the project was made possible by careful financial planning and the generous support of Old Pinewoodians, parents and former parents.
“I was especially delighted to visit the Hoyland and see the Learning Support area. It was exactly the provision that we were petitioning for so many years ago; lucky children who can enjoy such surroundings” Former member of staff
Responding to changes in our modern world, and in particular the workplace, we are seeking to provide a space which focuses on producing solutions; prototyping, digital literacy, future engineering, robotics and design are just a few of the areas which would allow pupils to work together to share ideas, think critically and build projects collaboratively. Remodelling existing space into a brand new Innovation Centre would provide countless opportunities for Pinewoodians to develop these skills and equip them for the challenges that lie beyond their time here.
Built in the 1980s as a result of a generous benefactor, the music school has provided countless generations of Pinewoodians with engagement and skills in music. It is now in need of expansion to accommodate the growing number of musicians and musical activities and events on offer. We hope to include new performance areas, larger soundproofed practice rooms and ensemble spaces, as well as branching out to create a new music technology studio space.
