An all-girls school in Highgate is calling on supporters to help it raise �3million for new facilities.

Channing School in The Bank had plans for a new sports hall and performing arts centre approved by Haringey Council in April.

The independent junior and secondary school, which charges up to �4,890 per term, hopes to have the �11million project completed by 2017.

Helen Tranter, appointed as the school’s director of development in September, is spearheading the project’s Capital Challenge, a bid to raise �3million to support the scheme over the next three years.

She said: “This is the biggest thing that the school has ever done in developing the facilities for the girls.

“We are hoping that the Channing community will support the school in completing its most ambitious development project so that we can provide amazing facilities for future generations of girls to come.”

It is hoped donations from friends, former pupils and parents will go towards building a brand new performing arts centre, which will host a range of musical and theatrical performances.

There will also be a new senior school sports hall to replace the existing hall with excavations planned to create underground space for more facilities.

Headteacher Barbara Elliott said: “We are going down [underground] and we are going to have a multi-gym and also additional sixth form facilities. It’s to provide us with state-of-the-art indoor sports facilities.

“People want their daughters to be here and we want to make sure they get the very best. You can never stand still, we want to make the school better.”

Last year, 96 per cent of Channing School pupils achieved A* to B grades at A-level and earlier this month The Sunday Times named it the 34th best independent secondary school in the UK.

Mrs Elliot added: “We are an ambitious school, we are in a very good place in terms of academic results.

“We all believe if you set the bar high then you can reach it. I’m very confident we will deliver on this.”

Work on the new sports hall is due to start next year and is set to be completed by September 2014.

Building work for the performing arts centre will then begin in 2015 and should take two years to complete.

The official fundraising campaign will be launched at the school by former Olympic champion Sally Gunnell on April 18.

To discuss making a donation, in confidence, call Miss Tranter on 07725 811 191 or complete the Channing gift form available from the school.