The Foundation

The St Peter’s Hammersmith Schools Foundation was set up in 1859 by Dr John Betts, a local medical practitioner. He set up a Foundation to which he gave land and properties in the local area which he had acquired over the previous 20 years with the purpose that the rents and income from the Foundation should be used to build a school (in fact, 3 schools), fund the running of the school and the welfare of the children who attended it, and, should there be excess income, put towards other charitable purposes such as the building of Alms-houses. In 2019 the Foundation changed its name to the John Betts School Foundation to better reflect its aims and focus.

Dr John Betts

Dr John Betts was born in 1799. No records of his early life have been uncovered but it is a reasonable assumption that his family was wealthy as he was able to afford a long medical training and become an extensive landowner. He studied from 1815 to 1821 at Marylebone Infirmary taking courses in anatomy, chemistry and other relevant subjects. He was examined by one Mr Field and became a Qualified Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries. In 1834 he is listed as a surgeon residing at 3 Grove Place, Hammersmith (this is now 314 King Street). At what stage he conceived the idea of founding a school is not known, but by 1859 he had completed arrangements for the creation of the Foundation and the building of the school. John Betts lived for just over four years after the opening of the school. He died in July 1875 and his funeral service was held at St Peter’s Hammersmith. He is buried in Hammersmith Cemetery, not far from the Margravine Road entrance. These are few recorded facts uncovered about Dr John Betts. His portrait, in oils, hangs in the Headteachers’ Study. The plaque beneath reads: ‘Dr. John Betts, Founder of St Peter’s Hammersmith, Free Schools who died 1st July 1875, aged 76’. He was a social pioneer, his plans for free education for children being formed at least eleven years before the Education Act of 1870. 

History

The Foundation has a copy of its original founding deed, handwritten in copperplate. John Betts started acquiring land in the area from the 1830s and his landholdings were extensive, from what is now Starch Green to the north, down to the river and the area around St Peter’s church in the south. He purchased the land in Shaftesbury Road (now Ravenscourt Road) where John Betts School now stands in around 1856. On 22nd October 1859 the property holdings were transferred to the original Trustees: Henry Baker, William Bugby, George Adam Burn, Charles Danby, Henry Halsey, William Warren Sutherland and Robert Watson, and the Trust Deed was enrolled in the High Court of Chancery in January 1860.

Ethos

John Betts was a non-conformist who founded the school at a time when free education in the area was only available for children of practising Anglicans. For example, St Peter’s School in St Peter’s Square was founded slightly earlier, in 1849, but only for children who had been baptized into the Church of England. John Betts School was for all local children whose parents were willing to send them; this was a significant commitment to education by those parents, who might otherwise have put their children to work. The original name of the school St Peter’s Hammersmith Free School seems to have come about because the school was in the Parish of St Peter’s (Holy Innocents on Paddenswick Road not being built until 1890) and the school was free from the established church and available to all local Protestant children to be chosen “without any religious distinction”. Today this is reflected in the school providing an education of a broadly Christian nature to children of all faiths and none. The happiness and welfare of the children was a central part of the school’s original ethos; as well as their spiritual and practical welfare being catered for, the need for fun and happiness is recognised in the founding deed. In addition, philanthropy, charity and empathy for others less fortunate was and is part of John Betts’ ethos.

Terms of the Trust

This Deed of 1859 directed the Trustees then appointed to cause to be erected “a good and substantial schoolhouse of brick or stone, and also two good and substantial cottages of like materials, one on either side of the School House or otherwise as may be thought most desirable”. John Betts stipulated that there should be “three rooms, one for the boys’ school, another for the girls’ school, and the third for infants, which rooms should be sufficiently large and commodious for the reception and instruction of three hundred and fifty children in total”. The cottages referred to were to be used as accommodation for the teaching staff. The schools were to be called The St Peter’s Hammersmith Free Schools and they were to provide free instruction to all and any children who lived locally whose Protestant parents were willing to send them and they were to be chosen “without any religious distinction”. John Betts had specific requirements for the children’s education, the Governance of this was delegated to the Ladies Board, who would have been the original Governors. It was to involve fun and treats and creativity as well as instruction in the usual subjects (for the time) Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, History and Geography and, for the girls, household duties and needlework. He expressly required that singing be taught. He directed that once a year prizes should be given as rewards for merit and attention and that the Trustees should provide treats or entertainments every year for the children, once “about Midsummer in the open air (weather permitting) and of a recreative character and the other shall be given about Christmas within doors and shall be of an amusing and intellectual character.” The income from the Foundations properties and other investments was to be put to these purposes (and continues to be so) and in addition provide clothing and other necessary items for the children’s welfare and wellbeing.

Change of School Name

Originally the schools were to be called The St Peter’s Hammersmith Free Schools. At some stage the schools’ name was changed to Paddenswick Road Schools as per the plaque on the front of the school building. Latterly the schools were united under the name John Betts Primary School, but we do not know when any of these name changes happened.

Charitable Status and Endowments

After its change of name in 2019, the Foundation re-registered with the charity commission under number 1180034 together with the Inland Revenue under ZD00185. In the period since 1859 the leases on many of the properties held in the Foundation have expired and other properties were sold or gifted to other local charities, including Hammersmith United Charities, for their charitable purposes. The Foundation aims to exist in perpetuity. Currently the Foundation owns, in addition to the School and the School Keeper’s house, one property in Ravenscourt Road, which is let to tenants. The Foundation also has unit trust investments across a broad range of asset classes. Today, as in 1859, income from these investments is used for educational purposes and to further the original aims and ethos of Dr John Betts.

The Foundation Today

The Foundation aims to help the school continue to promote its values and achieve its vision which have been inspired by the original Trust Deed. The current Trustees are Mike Jones (Chair) Helen Greenwood (Vice-Chair), Stephen Askins, Emily Hammersley and Sophy Doyle. Their main role is to appoint the Foundation governors to the school, oversee the management of the Foundation’s property and assets for the benefit of the school, and importantly, continue to promote the ethos of the original Trust deed. The Trustees also consider and approve payment of funds to the school for capital projects; as a voluntary-aided school it only receives 90% of state funding for these and must look to the Foundation for the shortfall. As well as providing funding for ‘extras’ over and above those items which are covered by state funding, to provide the wide-ranging educational experience envisaged by Dr John Betts; treats at Christmas and in the summer are still funded as per his original instructions and the Foundation donated the book vending machine where children can go and chose a book to celebrate their Gold Award achievements.

The original Trust Deed states that “Boys and girls shall be instructed in reading, writing, singing, arithmetic, history and geography”, therefore the Foundation funds specialist music tuition at the school. Amongst many other musical experiences, the choir goes to John Betts House and sings for the elderly residents at Christmas time. The Foundation also administers the Future Funding initiative so that parental donations can remain anonymous from the school.

We believe John Betts School to be in a completely unique position, whereby we believe the School is the only nondenominational, stand-alone voluntary-aided state primary school in the country with a Foundation purely for the benefit of the School and no other.

The School’s Purpose, Values and Vision - Inspired by the ethos of the Foundation

John Betts School's purpose, values and vision are profoundly influenced by the ethos of the John Betts School Foundation.  The ethos promoted by the Foundation, is woven into the fabric of the school's culture, shaping its unique character. In embracing the Foundation's ethos, the School aspires to create a legacy of excellence in education that extends far beyond the classroom, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of its students and the community it serves.

The School’s Purpose

To ensure that all children feel safe, secure and are inspired by learning. The School is committed to providing innovative, creative, high-quality education for every child, which inspires a lifelong love of learning and equips them with the wide range of skills and knowledge needed for transfer to secondary school and life beyond. John Betts is a safe, secure and inspiring environment where our children feel valued and happy, one where we celebrate and promote equality of opportunity and diversity, and the importance of serving other people and our community.

The School’s Values

In 1859 Dr. John Betts set up a unique trust to provide free education to local children. A social pioneer, he believed that happy children, equality of opportunity, educational excellence and service to others were of the highest importance. John Betts School is as innovative now as it was then: Voluntary aided and non-denominational with broadly Christian values that are at the heart of everything we do. Those values being:

- Kindness

- Integrity

- Resilience

- Perseverance

- Courage

These values are ingrained in the culture of the school, form the basis of all learning, and are thread through the curriculum, assemblies and events.