The PTA

Why Do We Have A PTA?

We are very fortunate at our school to have a PTA that is and has been such an integral part of the school community. In its time the PTA has raised significant funds, which have been spent on improving equipment and resources to enhance our children’s education and the facilities in school in general. Recently, parents made generous personal contributions to enable the building of the new junior classroom.

However, the PTA is about much more than just fundraising. The PTA exists to provide closer links between home and school, and it is an excellent way to bring staff, parents and friends together socially in support of the school working towards a common goal. And it’s fun!

All parents and members of the school community can get involved if they want to, even if they only have a small amount of time available, and all parents are automatically members of the Association when they join our school.

Why Are We A Registered Charity?

The Charities Act 1993 requires organisations such as ours with an annual income in excess of £1,000 to register with the Charity Commission.

As a Charity we must abide by Charity Commission rules and regulations and we are bound by a Constitution. Our Constitution lays down rules about how we operate as a PTA and how we conduct ourselves. A full copy is in the back of this booklet for your information.

Being a Registered Charity gives us many extra benefits.

  • We are able to apply for Gift Aid, which can earn us an extra 28.2p in every pound donated to the PTA.
  • We can raise funds more easily from grant giving trusts, local businesses etc.
  • We can take advantage of charity matched giving schemes.

Links With Local Business

We have, over time, developed strong links with the local community and are always well supported by both residents and businesses, for which we are very grateful. Many local businesses are very generous in their donations of raffle prizes etc. Fairlawn Estate, Springwood Park, B&Q and The Chaser amongst others have all helped in different ways.

Role Of The Committee

Our PTA Committee consists of 3 Officers (Chair, Treasurer and Secretary). We also have other Committee members to make up the full Committee. The Committee meet on a regular basis usually once or twice a term, with smaller working groups meeting as necessary to organise particular events.

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Our Annual General Meeting is held in the autumn term, and this is an opportunity for all parents to come along and hear in more detail about events run and funds raised, and how the money has been spent. It is also the occasion when we elect our new Committee.

A list of current PTA Committee members can be found here for your information. Updated lists are sent out each year after the PTA AGM.

Support from NCPTA
(National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations)

Our PTA belongs to NCPTA, which is the national charity that advances education and supports PTAs. We pay an annual membership fee to NCPTA which gives us lots of member benefits: a comprehensive insurance package, support and advice on PTA and fundraising matters, opportunities to meet with other PTAs to discuss and share experiences, regular newsletters and the PTA magazine.

NCPTA also has a range of parental information sheets on subjects such as: literacy and numeracy, special educational needs, how to help your child get the most out of their school days, bullying, homework, using the internet and career paths to name but a few. You can access this information via the NCPTA website, www.ncpta.org.uk. To gain entry to the site you will need our membership number, which is 18274 and our school postcode which is TN11 9PB. Do have a look.