Hotham Primary School in Putney is asking the community to help raise £50,000 to transform its unused 1908 Annexe building into a dedicated centre for arts and music.
The campaign, launched this week, represents the final third of a £150,000 project that would create specialist teaching spaces during school hours and a community hub for local clubs and families beyond the school day.
The school has already secured £50,000 from the Hotham School Fund, a registered charity, and is targeting another £50,000 through grant applications. The remaining £50,000 would come from community donations, legacy gifts through a “Giving Wall” campaign, and fundraising events with the school’s parent-teacher association.
The Annexe was built at the same time as the main school in 1908 and served various purposes over the decades, from housewifery education to adult learning and eventually storage. It now sits unused.
The plan would transform it into an art and design innovation studio on the ground floor and a dance and music studio upstairs. During the school day, the centre would provide specialist arts teaching for Hotham’s 370 pupils. Beyond school hours, it would open to families and community groups.
The £150,000 would cover weatherproofing and securing the building, upgrading electrics and heating, remodelling internal rooms, installing toilet facilities, and purchasing furniture and equipment.
Building works are scheduled to begin in August 2026, with the project completing by August 2027.
The campaign launched today and has already raised over £1,000 from early donors, with contributions coming in following a parents’ coffee morning where the project was discussed.
The fundraising drive comes as Wandsworth’s school funding crisis has led to four primary school closures since 2023, with Putney schools facing pressure to cut places. Hotham’s campaign represents a rare positive story of expansion rather than contraction.
Headteacher Richard Byrne-Smith said the school’s vision is to provide “limitless opportunities for every child to aspire and succeed.”
The school is particularly interested in hearing from former pupils or parents who remember the Annexe from when it was in active use.
Donations can be made through the campaign page. The school can also be contacted at info@hotham.wandsworth.sch.uk or 020 8788 6468.
