Hello and a warm welcome from the Primrose PTA,

I’m sure you already know that PTA stands for Parent Teacher Association. It sounds a bit formal and stuffy but trust us it really isn’t. We usually go to the Crown pub for our meetings and not surprisingly they can often go on longer than planned. Getting out of bedtime drama is a big motivator for some and for others it’s a nice big glass of wine! But in all seriousness, we all have the children’s best interests at heart and our focus is to come together to raise funds for the school.

Fundraising to make a real impact for the school and our children

The average PTA in the UK raises £9,000 each year to pay for things that school budgets cannot stretch to. We aim to raise over £10,000 each year and have achieved this and more in recent years. From this we have made significant donations to the school. The school and the wider education system is under significant financial pressure, and any contribution the PTA can make really does make a difference.

The PTA donates a class budget to each class every year – typically £200-400. The teachers are free to choose how they spend this amount – often its used for school trips or experiences to enhance the curriculum.

Over the years we have made substantial donations for the purchase of laptops, musical instruments, outside play equipment and library upgrades as well as providing “little extras” for all children in school, such as ice creams in summer, Easter eggs at Easter and Christmas crackers with the Christmas lunch. So far in 2023-2024 we’ve donated £9.5k for the benefit of the school and our children.

For more details on the finances and how we spend the money see the latest AGM minutes here. <can we add a link or attach> and also look out for the regular updates in the newsletter.

How the PTA at Primrose is run and how can you get involved?

At the 2022 AGM we improved our structure slightly to allow more parents to get involved, in a way that suits them. As busy full-time working mums, we totally appreciate how hectic life can be and so we want to make the PTA as accessible and flexible for everyone to help. It doesn’t have to be helping at events, it can be just spreading the word, sharing ideas, going shopping for supplies or donating raffle prizes. A few parents have asked if they can make cash donations, and this is fine too.

Our committee members are:

Chair:                   Catherine Hill

Treasurer:           Clare Lankester

Secretary:           Laura Hodgkins

Members: Rachel Moss and Alex Whitely

Parent Year Group Reps:

The PTA rep supports the committee by attending meetings, selling tickets, helping at events and communicating information to year groups.

Friends of PTA – are a group of parents who are happy to help or get involved as and when suits. We communicate informally through a WhatsApp group. If you’d like to join, just email primroselanepta@outlook.com or just ask one of us in the playground. There’s no pressure, just dip in and out where you can help.

Key Events of the year to note:

What helping looks like?

As mentioned above, any kind of help is welcome – and you can dip in and out as little or as often as suits you.

Giving your time:

Shopping: We regularly need to buy goods for events, whether it be hot dogs for the Xmas disco, Easter Eggs or tuck shop snacks – so if you love!

Helping to set up for events – big or small – can be anything from setting up, lifting equipment, constructing stalls, putting seats out to manning a stall at the event

Planning and ideas generation: No idea is a bad idea and the more we have the better. If you have any ideas feel free to come along to a meeting or simply email primroselanepta@outlook.com or catch one of us in the playground.

Giving your goods:

Raffle Prize Donations: Raffles are a great way to raise funds, particularly at the school events such as spring concert, Maypole and Nativity where wider family members come along. We sometimes ask ahead of the events for donations but feel free to donate at any time of the year. If you’re doing a spring clean, remember we are a Charity too so please pass on anything you think will contribute.

Uniform: If you have pre-used uniform that still has some life left, please pass it on for us to re-sell. The uniform store is aways open online Primrose Lane Primary PTA (sumupstore.com) and during spring and summer we will be out on the playground with our latest stock.

Giving whilst you shop or work:

Easyfundraising: Sign up to raise funds for Primrose Lane PTA every time you shop online – go to http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/primroselanepta.

Stikins: Purchase your labels from Stikins and up to 30% will be donated to the PTA – go to www.name-labels.co.uk or phone 01270 668076 and quote the school’s unique code - 16168.

Choose us for payroll giving if your employer operates this scheme – as a registered charity this is a great way to raise funds, every £5 donated to the PTA would only cost you £4.

Give us your contacts:

Do you work for a butcher, printer, baker, marketing company, book seller, website designer, supermarket, first aid trainer, dance school, or a company that could donate sweets, small toys, drinks?.

Are you, or do you know, someone who could help us with an event (existing or new) such as a children’s entertainer, artist, musician, hotel group who could provide a venue, bouncy castle hire, pallets for the bonfire, or an electrician, marquee manufacturer?

Big Thank You!

Finally, we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped and contributed towards the funds that we have all managed to raise for the school. As you can see above it really does make a difference.