New Sixth Form Centre
TODAY. TOMORROW. TOGETHER. campaign
TWGSB offers the widest range of A Levels available locally. Our motivation is to foster a lifetime love of learning across a plethora of academic disciplines, and we are passionate about providing young people with the opportunity to discover their potential. While the teaching and learning for our Sixth Form students is of the highest calibre, the previous Sixth Form facilities, built in 1967 for 130 students, were woefully inadequate.
They fell far short of providing a teaching and learning environment that matched the aspirations, talents and enthusiasm of our students and staff. 
With no Government funding available, we launched a £1.5m fundraising campaign to replace this building with a Sixth Form Centre of Excellence.
In December 2021 we reached the fundraising target and I would like to reflect on this fantastic achievement, the result of which provides us with an aspirational flexible working space with silent and quiet study areas, as well as a 40+ position ICT suite and lockers.
The Campaign Board of supportive parents that has worked on this project has now set itself the task of raising an additional £150,000 to fund increased costs and internal furnishings.
As a school, we are on a journey of transformational change and this new centre, opening early Spring 2022, will represent the jewel in our crown, where each boy from Year 7 upwards aspires to be.
We hope you will support our campaign and become an integral part of a bigger and brighter future for our students.
Amanda Simpson, Headteacher
Campaign Chair Introduction
These critical years aged 11 to 18 see our children grow into young men and women on the brink of adulthood, and it is the experiences and influences during these critical years that determine how they approach the rest of their lives. I am confident that my son is being provided with great opportunities to grow into a mature and well-rounded young man who will contribute positively to any community in which he finds himself.
I passionately believe that creating the right environment, which motivates our children to learn, is essential. This is why I accepted the invitation to chair the TODAY. TOMORROW. TOGETHER. campaign, which will see us raise a total of £1.5m towards a new Sixth Form Centre – £750,000 to be raised by the school community and £750,000 committed by the school itself, supported by a KCC loan.
As a group of parents and former pupils, I am confident that we can work together to make this campaign the success it deserves to be and give our children the Sixth Form Centre that matches their talents and aspirations.
Garry Gatt, Campaign Chair
Project Timeline
How you can help
We hope to run our final receptions in September, please click here if you would like to register for more information.
If you have a specific enquiry or wish to make a donation, please email campaign@twgsboys.kent.sch.uk.
To help us realise our ambition for your children and those to come, we need your help. I hope you will feel able to support us in our fundraising campaign to ensure that we really do make this happen.
Philip Drew, Chair of Governors
The Fundraising Board
Andy Hickey
Andy is a Director of, and investor in, information technology ventures, as well as a Councillor for Pantiles & St. Mark's on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. He is also a lifelong Nottingham Forest fan for his sins! He and Liz would like their boys (Year 8 and 9) to be proud of the Sixth Form facilities and have the best studying experience they can, in the important couple of years before university or work.
Ben Kottler
Ben is an investment manager with experience in research, strategy and positioning. With two sons, in Year 10 and 12 at TWGSB, he is excited that his youngest will be one of the first to use the new centre. As a former school Governor at TWGGS, he has experienced the benefits of a thriving Sixth Form and can see this new building will give the students something tangible to aim towards.
Caroline Hutt
Caroline is the MD of Hutt & Co and has worked in fundraising for more than 30 years. Hutt & Co have an enviable track record supporting educational and other community sectors to optimise their fundraising activities. Committed to industry best practice, Caroline is Chair of the Association of Fundraising Consultants and was one of the first tranche of UK fundraisers to secure professional accreditation.
Chris Hall
Chris is a freelance financial journalist who has lived in west Kent for 15 years. He has a son in Year 10 and wanted to support the Sixth Form Centre fundraising campaign having been impressed by the quality of the Sixth Form students he met when he volunteered to conduct mock interviews.
David Lampitt
David is a qualified accountant and has worked in the sports industry since 2003. He is currently Managing Director of sports data and tech company, Sportradar. He has a son in Year 7 and is passionate about enhancing the learning environment at TWGSB and maximising opportunities for Sixth Formers. He sees the project as a great demonstration to the students of what can be achieved when ambition and determination are brought together!
Elaine Dowdy
Garry Gatt
Garry is our Chair, and Director of a commercial property development and company, having worked in the construction and property industry for 30 years. He has two children – a daughter in Year 7 and a son in Year 9 at TWGSB. His son’s progression through the school prompted his interest in the Sixth Form and highlighted the clear shortcomings of the existing facilities. He believes that creating the right environment, which motivates our children to learn, is essential.
Hannah Gee
Hannah is our Vice-Chair. She is a mum to three boys, one of whom is in Year 9 at TWGSB. She runs her own successful interiors-based business, Love Inc Ltd. selling LED neon lights and homewares in Tunbridge Wells. She has very kindly gifted the campaign our ‘Today. Tomorrow. Together.’ neon light for our new Sixth Form Centre.
James Bridge
James is Head of Compliance at AXA PPP in Tunbridge Wells and has a son in Year 9. He joined the campaign having been shocked by the current Sixth Form facilities and inspired by the enthusiasm and drive of the students and teachers to create a great Sixth Form Centre for TWGSB.
Rebecca Honey
Rebecca has previously held a number of roles in marketing and communications across a variety of businesses, including BT and Daily Mail & General Trust, where she is now a senior analyst across a number of digital platforms. Her youngest son, Ollie, is currently in Year 7. She was inspired to join the campaign board after seeing at first-hand both the current Sixth Form Centre and the impressive end vision the campaign board have for its replacement.
COVID-19 update
Despite the restraints and problems of the global pandemic, the project remains of critical importance to the school and as such we have continued to make progress.
Planning and design work has been undertaken, demolition of the old building has taken place and fundraising receptions have continued in a virtual format. When we return in September we hope to run our final project receptions, but in the meantime if you wish to make a donation or get in touch, please contact campaign@twgsboys.kent.sch.uk.
