We constantly need new donations to keep up our current level of bursaries at eight per cent of our intake. To be able to offer bursaries to 20 per cent of students we need to raise money to fund an extra 12 per cent. We receive no government or public funding, very few charities support independent schools and, unlike longer-established schools, we haven't had our own endowment. So funding bursaries depends entirely on the St Paul's community – parents, alumnae and other donors.

Generosity is the real source of my current opportunities. Without financial aid, I could not have attended St Paul's and could not have pursued paths that I am privileged to have had open to me.

Fee income alone isn’t enough to build up an effective long-term endowment to fund bursaries. To attract and retain first-class staff in London, with its high living and housing costs, we need to offer competitive salaries. We also have to meet the running and maintenance costs of our school premises, including a listed building. In line with many independent schools, our income from fees is around £9 million, of which approximately 71 per cent funds the salaries of our dedicated team of 190 staff. We’ve already secured donations and pledges worth £3.4 million but we still need your help.

• £500,000 will endow a bursary in perpetuity
• £250,000 will endow a half bursary in perpetuity
• £172,000 will provide a full revenue bursary to fund a girl throughout her seven-year school career here (£22,857 a year)
• £86,000 will provide a half bursary (revenue) to fund a girl throughout her seven-year school career here (£11,428 a year)
• £47,000 will provide a full A-level revenue bursary (£22,000 a year)