MSJ Community & Support Us

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MSJ Community

MSJ Community is made up of all aspects of Malvern St James life, including the Old Girls’ Association, the Friends of MSJ, current parents and families, Past Parents and Families, current and former staff, current and former Governors, plus all others who join in School life.

MSJ Community brings people together to make a better organisation. It helps us reach out to individuals to support enrichment in areas as diverse as careers, sport, music and academia; as well as donating to projects, from the bursary campaign to the Malvern St James Gambia Project and Malvern Special Families.

Friends of MSJ
(Parents’ Association)

The Friends of MSJ is a vibrant committee led by parents, with daughters at different stages in the School.

We work closely with MSJ teachers and the Senior Leadership Team to identify and fundraise for items that benefit pupils but fall outside of normal School budgets. As of 2021, in the past 5 years the Friends have raised the very significant sum of over £40,000 to invest in various projects.

It is not just about fundraising – the Committee is also there to support social life amongst parents at the school, and as well as fundraisers, our events are designed to make friends amongst parents in your own year group and the wider school. We aim to have at least one Friends Representative in each year group who will network with other parents. We hope to be able to host refreshments/ Drinks at school where we can meet you and talk some more, so please look out for further information by email. Whether you are a parent who has been with us for a long time, or a new parent, do come along! We will also be working on ways that we can involve parents who live abroad.

The Friends have traditionally raised funds through the sale of second-hand uniform and small events aimed at bringing the school community together. Since the uniform changed in 2021, these funds have decreased dramatically. We will adapt our fundraising strategy accordingly until second-hand uniform picks up again as stock levels increase. We may also look to diversify and fund a smaller number of bigger projects, rather than multiple small projects.

The Friends Chair as of September 2024 is Mrs Hannah Bannister-White: we wish her well and thank her for dedicating time to the Committee and to the school.

Please keep an eye out for future Friends events.

If you would like to find out more, please email Hannah Bannister-White or call Fiona Meredith/ Molly Hughes (+44) 01684 892288

Past Parents & Families

Past Parents & Families are invited to stay on as part of the Malvern St James Community once their daughter or relative has left school. You will be kept up to date with both school and OGA news and be invited to events that may be of interest to you. We hope that the family feel of Malvern St James continues long after your immediate association has come to an end.

Our Careers department is always keen to hear from anyone who may be able to offer support to our current pupils or young alumnae in some way. If you feel able to provide careers services (talks/workshops/CV advice/work experience etc) then please fill out the form on the Careers page.

To join MSJ’s Past Parents & Families, please complete the form below.

Public Benefit

Malvern St James enjoys strong links with its local community and those further afield. From local charity group Malvern Special Families to the school we established in the Gambia, we love to get involved.

We share many of our facilities and opportunities with local schools. These include university preparation days, careers talks and lectures, plus sporting events such as our Lacrosse Festival and Junior Olympics, the Junior Schools’ Maths Challenge, British Science Week events, International Language Day and a Junior Schools’ Art Exhibition.

Each year we raise several thousands of pounds for charity, including long-standing partners such as Malvern Special Families (MSF), the Poppy Appeal and other local and national charities that our pupils choose. The girls host an annual children’s party for MSF, which is always a fun-packed event they run themselves. Macmillan Cancer Relief Coffee Morning is another public event firmly established in the diary, as is the local Institute of Physics Lecture. Our musicians perform regularly at The Great Malvern Priory and for occasions such as the Christmas Light Switch On in the town.

Other community programmes include the MSJ Prep’s pen-pal scheme with Mowbray Retirement Home, working with Malvern Civic Society to open our doors for tours, and the installation of several defibrillators around the campus for public use. Our sports facilities, including the gym, swimming pool and AstroTurf pitch are also open to the community.

The School also helps around one quarter of its families with means-tested bursary remissions on fees to make an MSJ education possible. We are the only all-through girls-only school remaining in Worcestershire: we are proud to be able to continue this tradition and offer this choice.

With our founding schools established in the nineteenth century, we are well rooted here in Malvern, and it is our pleasure and privilege to be an active part of this strong community.