Home / Fundraising / Ideas / Celebrate your school anniversary
Fundraising
Your school's anniversary is the perfect opportunity to bring the community together for a year of celebration and fundraising. Here are some of our favourite ways to mark the occasion
Hold a number challenge
The ideal fundraiser for your anniversary year – challenge pupils to create their own fundraisers around your anniversary number. Can they do 25 handstands, bake 50 cookies or pick 100 pieces of litter?
Sell anniversary gifts
Create a sense of belonging with a printed product such as an anniversary hoodie or T-shirt. Make the process easier by using a company that operates a fundraising scheme for PTAs where parents can order and pay online. Or offer mugs, keyrings or tea towels. Use our supplier directory to find the right people to work with.
Commission a mural
Work with a mural or graffiti artist to express your school’s character through art. Get pupils involved with workshops, a talk from the artist or a design competition.
Shoot period portraits
Decorate a classroom in the style of your era and hire a photographer to take portraits. Colourful 1920s fancy dress or retro 1960s fashion works just as well as sepia prints representing the Victorian age.
Create an aerial photo
Drones make aerial photography easier to achieve these days, but you’ll still need a photographer with experience. Ask pupils to stand outside in the shape of the number of years you’re celebrating.
Hold a talk and exhibition
Gather former pupils and staff members together to tell stories about their time at school. How was it different? What funny stories do they remember? Source old photos and display them in the hall.
Recreate the past
Ask pupils to dress up in the costume of your year. Book a history workshop or contact a living museum to ask if they can help with ideas and resources. On the day, draw up a list of rules which would have been in force when your school opened: standing still in lines – boys at the front and girls behind– for Victorian day, or the three Rs and skipping games for the 1920s.
Plant a tree
Choose a living, lasting symbol the children can watch grow for years to come. Plant as many as you can or make a hedgerow to create food and shelter for wildlife. Contact the Woodland Trust for details of their free trees for schools.
Create a time capsule
Get pupils thinking about what matters the most to them and what represents their lives. Items could include class photographs, drawings, videos, or letters to future generations. Bury your capsule, but don’t forget where you put it!
Hold a bake-off
Using your year as the theme, hold a bake-off or ask a creative cake maker to bake a showstopper.
Make a book
The ‘We Are Writers’ literacy project offers children a unique opportunity to publish their work in a paperback book. Register your school and invite pupils to write stories or poems around the theme of your anniversary.
Throw a party
Invite the whole school to a fancy dress party, grand dinner or ball. Or keep things simple with a potluck supper or barbecue. Develop fledgling relationships by inviting alumni or local firms you’ve worked with over the year.
Celebrate your milestone and fundraise too
FAQs
School anniversaries hold a special place in the hearts of students, teachers, and the entire school community. They are a time to celebrate the journey of learning, growth, and achievement. Our school's sixth anniversary is also a reason to cheer. It's been another year of excellence at our school.
How to write a speech for a school anniversary? ›
It is a privilege to come before you as Head Prefect on this fifth anniversary of our school. Five years of development, cohesion, and academic distinction. Our path, characterized by common successes, is a testament to the commitment of students, teachers, and understanding parents. Let's honor the founders' vision.
How do you celebrate your anniversary? ›
38 Best Anniversary Ideas to Celebrate in Style
- Try a new skill together. ...
- Head away on a romantic break. ...
- Enjoy a ritzy afternoon tea together. ...
- Treat yourselves to a meal with a difference. ...
- Book tickets to the theatre. ...
- Unwind with a spa day. ...
- Visit a botanical garden. ...
- Anniversary Ideas at Home.
A Chance To Reflect
In addition to taking stock of your achievements, your anniversary is also a good time to reflect on all the good times you have had and what being in love has meant for both of you. Like most married couples, you might have faced some challenges.
What is the meaning of celebrated their anniversary? ›
An anniversary is a date which is remembered or celebrated because a special event happened on that date in a previous year.
Why are anniversary gifts important? ›
Memories That Last a Lifetime: Thoughtful anniversary celebrations and gifts create lasting memories. These are the moments that you'll look back on with fondness, cherishing them for years to come. A Source of Inspiration: Anniversaries serve as a wellspring of inspiration.
Why is it called anniversary? ›
The principal meaning of anniversary is “the date on which an event took place in a previous year” - it comes from a Latin word anniversarius, meaning “returning yearly”.
How do you write a school anniversary invitation? ›
What to write in your school anniversary invitation should be as follows: Include the date and time of the event. You'll want to mention the location of where it's being hosted as well as who is hosting the event. You might also want to mention the purpose of this event or occasion.
How do you start an anniversary speech? ›
I'd like to take a minute to personally thank each and every one of you for being here tonight to celebrate Mom and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary. In a few moments, we're going to enjoy a champagne toast and some anniversary cake. Before we do, I'd like to share a reflection with all of you.
How do you write an anniversary celebration? ›
Sweet Anniversary Messages
- Happy anniversary to my better-in-every-way half. ...
- I love doing life with you. ...
- Like the smiles in our selfies, you light up my life. ...
- From sending you good night texts to wishing you good morning, everything seems sweeter since I met you. ...
- The good things in life are better with you.
21 Fun Anniversary Ideas to Celebrate Your Special Day
- Recreate Your First Date. ...
- Go Glamping. ...
- Plan a Road Trip. ...
- Enjoy a Wine Tasting Experience. ...
- Write a Love Letter.
- Book a Spa Day. ...
- Make a Scrapbook of Your Favorite Memories. ...
- Take a Dance Class Together.
15 Ideas To Celebrate Your Anniversary On A Budget
- Send your spouse on a scavenger hunt with lots of fun clues.
- Attend an open mic and have some fun with it!
- Serve your spouse breakfast in bed.
- Bury a box in your yard with some special inside.
- Buy a bottle of wine and some inexpensive paints, and paint!
Celebrating an anniversary with close family, friends, and others has been a long-standing tradition for people all over the world. While some couples choose to celebrate this occasion based on the first day they met, or on the day that marriage was proposed, others honor this event on their actual wedding date.
What can I do on my anniversary day? ›
- Dine at a Restaurant You Have Always Wanted to Try. ...
- Book a Dinner Cruise. ...
- A Day at the Spa. ...
- A Weekend Camping Trip. ...
- Take a Spontaneous Road Trip. ...
- Weekend Music Festivals. ...
- Get Tickets for a Comedy Show. ...
- Get Tickets for a Big Game.
12th Anniversary Symbols
While we've included plenty of traditional gifts made of silk and linen, there are some modern ideas here, too — think a gorgeous jade necklace and preserved peonies any wife would adore. No matter what you choose, keep their interests in mind and consider what would mean the most to them.
How do kids celebrate their parents anniversary? ›
Time Capsule
Start with whatever anniversary your parents are celebrating and create a time capsule. Using a tote, canister or special keepsake box, have all the kids add notes, photos and other significant items that celebrate their marriage and the family they've created.
