Hasmonean High parents are being mobilised for a fundraising campaign next weekend to cover a coronavirus-related shortfall.

Only £6 million of the £11 million budget of the boys’ and girls’ schools — which formally divided into separate schools last year — comes from government, 500 parents were told at a Zoom meeting on Tuesday.

Material for the Preserve What’s Precious campaign explained that “we do not get any funding for Kodesh [Jewish studies] and have to rely solely on donations and parental voluntary contributions to fund it”. Hasmonean’s ability “to raise these much-needed funds has been significantly impacted by Covid-19 and we need your urgent help to fill this expanding shortfall.”

While the school has received government money to furlough some Jewish studies staff, “as a community school, we felt it was our responsibility to ensure, as best as we can, that our teachers continue to be able to support their families through this crisis and have therefore supplemented this governmental income”.

Team leaders are being asked to approach 30 to 40 people during the fundraising drive. A number of donors have agreed to match the funds raised.

Without donations, “our school — the jewel in the crown of the North London Jewish community — could be lost.”