About your PTA
What is a Parent Teacher Association (PTA)?
Most schools have a Parent Teacher Association (PTA), which is an organisation of parents and staff. Its role is to encourage closer links between home and school. PTA's are best known for their fundraising work, but they have a useful social function too, such as raising general concerns from parents. Fundraising events provide an opportunity for parents, staff and pupils to get together. Fun days such as Cake Sale Friday and dress-up days ensure kids have great memories of their school days.
It's all voluntary...nobody in the PTA gets paid.
10 reasons why the PTA is good for you and the school
Click here to find out why we need your help with the PTA.
PTA Constitution / Terms of Reference
Our constitution document can be downloaded here.
How is the PTA organised?
At our school all parents/carers and teachers/governors are automatically members of the St Edward's PTA.
Our PTA plans to hold an annual general meeting in September/October, and at this meeting a committee is nominated then elected to run the PTA, and any parent is welcome to apply for any of the roles. Our main PTA structure consists of:
Chair
Provides leadership for the committee, sets the agenda for meetings and manages meetings in line with the agenda.
Works closely with the Committee to ensure that the PTA is run effectively.
Events Manager
Creates and manages social and fundraising events on behalf of the PTA.
Treasurer
Records all income and expenditure, records details of the amounts received and spent and has the details available for every committee. Works closely with the Fundraising Team.
Secretary
Sends out agendas for the committee meetings about a week before the meeting. Attends the meetings to take notes and then send them to the PTA mailing list.
Ordinary Committee Members
These include at least one parent from each class as 'Class Reps'.
For details of who is on the PTA Committee see this page.
Class Representatives
The Class Rep's are a vital part of the PTA, and we are lucky to have over 14 enthusiastic reps currently. Their role is to pass on information from the PTA to other parents in their child’s class, and in return get ideas specific for that class. The Rep's also help collating the results of any Parent surveys, and encourage parents to get involved and suport the PTA.
The Rep's are encouraged to set a meeting every term with the teacher, to see how that PTA can support the class.
There is at least one Class Rep per class, so look out for them in the playground. To see who is the Rep for your class, see this page. You can also e-mail your comments to them via info@school-pta.co.uk
Are you interested in being a Class Rep?
For more information about the role, please download the What is a CLASS REP? document.
What does your PTA focus on?
Fundraising - to provide a kitty for activities that make school more interesting and fun for the kids.
Parent Action - making the school environment work better
Registered Charity
We have charitable status, and are currently in the process of registering with the Charity Commission.
What your PTA can't do
For bigger issues that concern you (your child's education or happiness in school, issues with teachers, etc) you should still follow normal procedure by either making an appointment to talk to the class teacher, or to the Head Teacher.
The school complaints procedure can be downloaded here.
How can you get involved in the Parent Teacher Association
All parents/carers/grand-parents are welcome in the PTA. It's free to join!
But we know that is difficult for many of you to come along to PTA meetings or events, so don't forget the Class Rep's... they can listen to your ideas, and bring them along to the meeting on your behalf. And you can always e-mail us with comments to info@school-pta.co.uk or use the contact form.
There are many different ways you can help with the PTA... whether you have lots of time to offer or just a few hours each term, every little helps. No experience necessary!
Some of the main committee roles are time-consuming, although also rewarding. If you can’t commit to a big job, look out for things you can do less frequently (e.g. running a stall at the summer fair, baking for a Cake Sale Friday), be a parent volunteer to come on school trips, assist with after-school clubs, or help with reading in class.
And you can always support PTA events by simply turning up, by giving suggestions for improvement or events, and encouraging others to get involved. It's better to have lots of people doing a little bit each!
Don't forget, the PTA is not a substitute for doing what many parents do really well already... getting together informally for a chat and a coffee, making time to catch up in the playground, swapping ideas, and keeping the parent network growing.
Click here to find out why we need your help with the PTA.
