11th October 2024PTA
Welcome to our PTA. The great news is that if you have a child attending HWPS, then you are automatically a PTA member!
The purpose of the PTA is to raise money for the school to benefit the children, enhancing the provision that the school’s core budget provides. We regularly talk to the Headteacher, staff and parents/carers, to find out what the school really needs.
We are an inclusive PTA and invite everyone to get involved. Involvement can be big or small and could include supporting an event by attending, helping plan activities, sponsorship or donating a prize.
This school year will feature many fundraising plans, social events, opportunities to meet new people and to get involved in our vibrant school community. The PTA Information Board in the school's weekly Newsletter is a really good way of keeping up to date with what is going on, or watch out for information from your class rep. There is also a PTA noticeboard in the main playground.
If your business wants to support a local charity, we’d love to hear from you. If you work for a big company, you can sign your employer up to ‘match fund’ our fundraising at PTA charity events. (See Fundraising)
We’d love to hear from you and value your support. Contact us at hinchleywoodprimaryschoolpta@gmail.com
What do you do, exactly?
We raise money through events and social gatherings, for the school. These include Summer and Christmas Fairs, Fireworks Nights, Quiz & Cheese Wine events to mention just a few! However, if you have any other fund-raising ideas – then please let us know! You can either email us, come along to one of our meetings, or just chat to one of our committee members in the play ground and they can pass on your ideas.
How do I join?
It’s easy, because by being a parent of a child at the school, you are already a member! It would be great to have you come along to one of our meetings. There is no pressure to take on the running of any specific event, just turning up and giving us a helping hand is great. Don’t fancy yourself as an event organiser? Not to worry - we need all sorts of other input too, such as copywriting, designing programmes and advertising material, stuffing envelopes, delivering leaflets, BBQ cooking and bean counting! It’s a great way to get involved and meet other parents too.
What happens at the meetings?
These usually take place in a local café or pub and we try to support local businesses in all our events and fundraising. So, over a cuppa or glass or two of your favourite tipple, we discuss the next big events, and how the money raised should be spent. We need more parents involved so the PTA can keep up the good work that it has done so far – so come along, and have a drink on us! See the weekly school newsletters for the dates of the next meeting.
How much money do you raise?
Some events, such as the Fireworks night are hugely popular, so they bring in lots of money (over £5k at the last event!). At the meetings, we decide how to spend it! So if you enjoy spending other people’s money…. Your PTA needs you! We liaise with the Senior Leadership Team, who gives us the teachers’ wish list, but we also feedback what parents feel the school needs.
What type of things has the money been spent on?
All sorts of things. In 2020/21 we funded the wellbeing garden, new table tennis tables, farewell activities for year 6 pupils and colourful, educational wall art inside the school corridors and dining room. In prior years we’ve funded musical instruments, cooking equipment, sports kit, and water fountains. The list goes on and on! We of course, helped enrich the environment in our Woodys building and library, sadly lost to a fire in September 2021. We are committed to supporting the school as it rebuilds this important asset.
If you have any suggestions about how we should spent PTA money to help our children in school, please get in touch.
How do you keep us informed of events and where the money goes?
Good question! We have a notice board on the wall just as you turn right when you come in the main school gates. Here, we put up posters of up and coming events as well as info of what has recently been purchased. We also send out a weekly update in the school newsletter with dates for your diary and other info. But just in case you miss any of this, our Class Reps Co-ordinator regularly updates your child’s class reps, to let them know of events and where your help may be needed.
Please get in touch - We look forward to meeting you:
