PTFA
Leasowes Primary School
Parents Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA)
INFORMATION OVERVIEW
Who are we?
Leasowes PTFA is a registered charity run by a group of parents, teachers, and carers, who come from lots of different backgrounds. There are many differences, but we all have one thing in common, which is an enthusiasm for Leasowes school and the well-being of the children and community it serves.
We are a fun and friendly group of people who all share the same passion to want to enrich, enhance and improve the learning experiences of every child in the school, and to make school more memorable by adding in those little extras along the way.
Within our school PTFA we have a chairperson, a treasurer, elected committee members and a group of helpers. The skills that our members and helpers bring to our cause are amazing and every single one is invaluable. They range from graphic design, horticulture, sewing skills, cake baking, IT skills, face painting and artistry, organisational skills, the list goes on. The key resource people offer though, is their time to whatever degree they can.
Why does the school have a PTFA?
We are very fortunate as a school to have a PTFA, and this is thanks to the continued support of the parent volunteers that we have had over the years. It is also thanks to the help and guidance that is given to us by the teachers and staff at the school alongside their normal working day. We help to provide closer links between homes and the school, and bring parents, staff, and friends together in support of the children, all working towards a common goal.
What do we do?
Our main function as a PTFA is to help raise as much money as we can for the school and children, whilst also offering events and activities which strengthen the school experience for the children. Like most PTFAs, the majority of the funds are raised through the fun events that we organise and run through the year including:
- Summer and Christmas Fairs.
- Key Stage 2 Discos.
- Key Stage 1 Chocolate Bingo
- Fish and Quiz evening (One for the grown-ups)
Other Fundraising
There are also several other fundraising streams that are managed by the PTFA including:
- Second-hand uniform stall
- Commissions through Easy Fundraising
- Our School Lottery
- Commission on the children’s Christmas cards and products
- Fathers’ and Mothers’ Day gifts
- Cake sales
- Second-hand book sales
- Providing refreshments for the School Football tournament
- 5-pence bottle challenge
- Commission on Stikins Name labels
General overview of the PTFA
The PTFA begin a new year in September at the beginning of the academic year with the Annual General Meeting (AGM). There are several important things that are covered at this meeting. Firstly, a vote is carried out with all who attend to elect the committee members for the year to follow. The committee will then look at the current constitution and agree or make any amendments if necessary. We have an overview of the previous year’s fundraising events and the funds spent and welcome any suggestions for the coming year. A general overview of how the PTFA runs is also covered and a warm welcome given if there are any new members who have not attended before. A first meeting date and time is also agreed at the AGM to continue with discussions over the schedule for the year ahead.
Meetings are held on a regular basis (Generally once a month), at a location and time agreed by all members. It is some time necessary to meet more frequently when we get closer to our event dates, and more things need to be sorted. The PTFA meetings are open to everyone to attend whether you are a committee member, helper, or you would just like to attend to bring an idea to the table. It is not very well known but every parent and carer become a PTFA member when their child joins our school and you will always be welcome at the meetings.
These are just some of the things that are covered at the meetings. We discuss and make arrangements for upcoming events through the year, discuss any ideas people might have, share updates on any activity in the weeks past and overview the school event calendar, the list is endless. At the meetings we will also discuss how the funds that are raised are spent. The school will sometimes place funding requests to the PTFA, and this can cover things like materials for special workdays in the classroom, or pantomime trips for the children at Christmas time. Money spend and funding requests are put to the vote at a meeting, and every one’s views are taken on board, but It is only registered committee members who’s vote will be counted in the overall decision.
Things we have helped to provide
Over the past few years, the help from everyone has contributed to our fundraising. From donations of chocolate and wine for the tombola’s, fetching and carrying, folding raffle tickets, gluing the Christmas lollipops, wrapping the Christmas Santa presents, making cakes, or attending the chocolate bingo, so many have helped to fund the following;
- School Pantomime trips for the Key Stage 2 children.
- Visiting magicians for the Key Stage 1 children.
- Providing a year 6 leavers’ party including photobooth, BBQ and fun Zorbing
- Personalized hoodies for the year 6 leavers
- Trim trail play equipment for the Key Stage 2 children
- £2,000 worth of new library books
- New chess table for the whole school
In March of 2020, the PTFA has been able to make one of its biggest contributions towards the school’s new Library Hub. This is an amazing achievement and we look forward to bringing you further updates on the progress of its completion.
This is just a small caption of things that the funds raised has helped to buy. We must all remember that without all the little small things that every one of you do or give, we would not be able to enrich, enhance or improve the learning experiences of the children in the school!
What can we all do to help?
There are so many ways that we can all help to raise money. Please continue to donate your requested items for the tombola’s at the summer and Christmas fayres, donate any good quality items of uniform that you no longer require, come along and test your knowledge at our fish and quiz evening and bring your friends with you, take part in our chocolate bingo and enjoy some yummy treats, register with the online Easy Fundraising app to earn commission for the school on your online purchases, purchase your school lottery tickets which also gives you the opportunity to win £25,000 every week, or spare some time helping out at an event, setting up, or doing things from home. Whatever you can give, every little bit helps!
Our next fundraising goal will be to help the school in their support of the children’s health and wellbeing, by raising money to build a walking track around the school field. This will be a great addition to the school’s facilities along with the great health benefits that it will bring as we encourage physical activity and associated mental wellbeing amongst pupils.
Although the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the beginning of September is when new committee members are elected, we welcome any parent, carer or friend to join us at any time throughout the year to give as much or as little as they wish. Being able to support the school and help supply those little extras for the children is extremely rewarding. The more people that become involved the more we can achieve and the easier it will be.
Our communication
Communication is key to keeping the fundraising going for the school and for the children, and we are always working hard towards making this better. We have a FACEBOOK page that is kept up to date with all the current information. We will upload all information on to the school website on the “PARENT NEWS” tab as it becomes available. The PTFA Newsletter is distributed in January, May, and October via email to all parents. This will also be uploaded on to the school website and pinned to the notice board in the school’s main reception. The newsletter is a great source of information and contains meeting dates and times, updates on the money raised so far, event information and dates, and any additional information that needs to be circulated. We can be contacted at any time via our email leasowesptfa@gmail.com. Finally, we are parents too and will be at the school on a regular basis with our children, so please don’t be afraid to talk with any committee member, or you can ask for some details from the staff at the school.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this PTFA information sheet. We hope this gives you a little more detail about the PTFA, what we do, how we run, and most importantly how all of your donations, be it money, chocolate or time, have helped. Together, the school, the parents and carers can continue to build a strong fundraising platform and community connection for years to come.
Useful Links.
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/leasowesprimaryschoolptfa/
https://www.yourschoollottery.co.uk/lottery/school/leasowes-primary-school
Leasowespreloved@gmail.com
Facebook : @LeasowesPTFA