School Notices completes oversubscribed crowdfunding campaign
An online marketplace for independent schools has completed a crowdfunding campaign that has raised £825,000, surpassing its original target of £700,000 before the funding deadline. Founded in 2014, School Notices has quickly expanded in the lucrative independent school sector, now incorporating a network of 68 independent schools and more than 3,500 parent members, and providing access to 20,000 high net worth households. The service offers a free digital noticeboard that caters for schools, parents and students. Funds raised by the campaign will be invested in the website, in expanding its team and in advertising, whilst looking to expand into both university and international markets.

With less than 24 hours until its Crowdcube campaign comes to an end, fundraising platform School Notices has successfully secured nearly £825,000 in funding thanks to 186 investors. The portal launched its initiative last month and was originally seeking £700,000.

School Notices was founded in 2014 by co-founders Clare Reid and Gordon Dawson. It was created exclusively for independent schools, their parents, and businesses interested in targeting the HNW sector. The website provides a digital noticeboard, which raises funds for international and charitable causes; a free trading platform for buying, selling, or renting items and finding older children holiday or gap year work; and a direct route into advertising demographic through the website, direct email newsletters, and magazine, which reaches 20,000 families.

The platform also shared:

“By initially focusing on independent schools, the business has been able to target the high net worth sector to maximise value for both its member schools and for early business growth. The business is now profitable with over 57 member schools and over 3,500 member parents.”

School Notices’ business advertising clients include Strutt & Parker, Rathbone Investment Management, Abercrombie & Kent and leading public schools advertising to their feeder prep schools. Funds from the campaign will be used for the digital portion of its website, along with expanding its team to accurate growth, and advertising operations.