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Leaving a Legacy Gift

Supporting The Portsmouth Grammar School with a gift in your Will is a highly personal and unique way of giving. For many people, leaving a gift in their Will enables them to be more generous than is possible during their lifetime.

From the date of our foundation in 1732, PGS has benefited enormously from generous gifts in Wills. 

In Dr William Smith’s final Will, written just two days before his death in 1732, he instructed that his gift of land be used to establish a grammar school in the city. 

That one act of forward-thinking generosity transformed the opportunities available to children in the city that he loved, and that continues to be honoured at our Founder’s Day service in St Thomas’ Cathedral to this day.

The School has been extremely fortunate to benefit from numerous other legacies since, providing generous bursaries and creating many of the facilities familiar to us today. 

Legacy gifts cost nothing during your lifetime. Leaving just 1% of your estate to the School can make such an incredible impact.

A gift to The Portsmouth Grammar School in your Will is an investment in future OPs. On behalf of everyone whose lives you may touch, thank you for considering this special way to leave your mark.

Graham Spiller, OP 1976

"When I joined PGS in 1968, my family were delighted when I was awarded a place under the Direct Grant scheme. Looking back now, I realise just what they would have been prepared to sacrifice to give me what they thought was the best chance in life. 

I remember my time at PGS very fondly. Though never the greatest academically I value the well-rounded education I received. Some of my best memories are from the RAF Section of the CCF and helping backstage with school productions. 

Now that I’m in a position to give something back, it feels only right to help others in similar circumstances. The Direct Grant scheme has long gone, but The William Smith Fund bursaries now offer that same lifeline I once benefitted from. Long may they continue."

Leaving a Gift

Did you know that PGS is a registered charity, and accordingly, all legacy gifts made to the School are exempt from UK Inheritance and Capital Gains Taxes. In addition, if you leave at least 10% of your estate to charity, the Inheritance Tax due on the balance is reduced from 40% to 36%.

We strongly advise anyone making or updating a Will to seek independent professional advice from a solicitor. If you are thinking of leaving a gift to the school, here is some suggested wording that you might wish to share with your solicitor;

“I give to The Portsmouth Grammar School (registered charity number 1063732) either x % of the residue of my estate or the sum of £ …………, and would like my donation to be used by the school for its general charitable purposes.”

We understand that you will want to look after your loved ones first, but if you decide to leave a gift to The Portsmouth Grammar School in your Will, we promise to use your gift wisely and effectively.

Make Your Will for Free

We've partnered with FreeWills.co.uk to enable the PGS community to make their own fully comprehensive, legally-binding Will for free.

You can simply make your personalised Will online, from the comfort of your own home, with the added reassurance that it will be checked, vetted and approved by a solicitor.

How it works

Frequently asked questions

We'd be incredibly grateful if you decide to remember The Portsmouth Grammar School with a gift in your Will, but you're under no obligation to do so when using this service.

Letting Us Know Your Intentions

We appreciate that making a Will is a sensitive and highly personal matter, but should you decide to leave a gift to the school, we would love to know so we can thank you properly during your lifetime.

Informing us of your plans will also give us the opportunity to fully understand your wishes and ensure that we carry them out as intended. You can let us know by completing a notification form below, or by emailing us at
development@pgs.org.uk. This does not commit you in any way, and is simply a statement of your current intentions.

Legacy notification form
Online legacy notification form

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