Education – Associated Schools

The Leathersellers’ Company and Foundation are involved in supporting the running of primary and secondary schools in south London. These are:

The Leathersellers provides financial and non-financial support to the schools including funds to improve the welfare, social mobility and educational attainment of pupils regardless of their socio-economic background.

Match funding
Annually we offer the schools the opportunity to encourage fundraising by their pupils, by having it match funded by the Leathersellers’. In the 2021-22 academic year, the pupils raised, and we matched, almost £17,000 for a range of charities (many local), meaning a total of just under £34,000 was raised and donated to good causes thanks to their efforts.

You can read more about how we support pupils in the tabs below:

Colfe’s is one of London’s oldest schools and has been closely linked with The Leathersellers’ Company since the 17th century when the Founder of the school, Abraham Colfe, entrusted the school to the Company when he died. A copy of his Will – which runs to three large volumes – is retained in the Company archives, most of the text concerns the school and the way in which Colfe wanted it to be managed in perpetuity.

The Leathersellers’ Foundation funds a number of scholarships each year for able pupils from state schools to study at Colfe’s for their A-levels.

Read more about Colfe’s School
Visit the Colfe’s School website

The Federation develops the vision of Joseph Prendergast who founded Lewisham’s first girls’ secondary school in 1890, on a site provided by the Leathersellers’ Company. The Leathersellers’ Company provides Foundation Governors to the schools, as well as regular financial support, with the aim of assisting the Federation with its educational and operational objectives.

The aim of The Leathersellers’ Federation is to provide an excellent education for children from the local community in a safe, supportive learning environment, where people are valued and make positive contributions to each of the schools.

Visit The Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools website

A number of grants were made to the Federation of schools to support pupils in 2021-22:

Additional activities
The Federation’s leadership team identifies each year a number of partners (often charities) who they believe will add value to their pupils, and we provide the funds to enable those activities. Efforts in the last year focused on raising career awareness and aspirations, improving mental health and wellbeing, broadening opportunities to experience sport and focused mentoring.

Scholarship programme
A total of £426,000 over four years to deliver an evidence backed scholarship project delivering intensive one-to-one mentoring and support to a group of 12 students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition it will provide laptops, free wi-fi, residential trips, careers opportunities, extra-curricular activities and extra tuition. 

Read more about this story in our latest Annual Review

Leathersellers’ Awards
Prendergast School selects a number of students each year to receive a financial award on completion of their schooling. They are shortlisted due to exceptional academic achievement and/or progress in sixth form, overcoming significant adversity (personal health or external challenges) and exceptional contribution to the life of the school.

Cost of Living Crisis
Aware of the growing economic impact on lower income families, the Company approved a £50,000 grant to assist students affected by the rising cost of living via a breakfast club.