PTA & Fundraising: Where the Money is Spent
Overview
In the school year ending July 2007, our net fundraising totalled £9,059, compared to £9,531 in 2006 and £9,319 in 2005.
Additional financial donations from parents totalled £1,480, compared to £1,863 in 2006 and £2,108 in 2005.
We donated £5,513 to support various school activities during the year, and currently have unspent funds of £20,650.
We have pledged, but not yet incurred, additional spending of £4,275 on school activities, and have set aside £10,849 of our funds for Sports development.
Fundraising Events
Our events were, once again, generally well supported by the school community. The Spooky Disco sold out raising £496, Carols by Candlelight raised £852, The Christmas Market raised £663, and the Christmas Fair & Trees £1,889. In addition, sales of school Christmas cards and Tea Towels at these events added £497.
After Christmas the Barn Dance was less well supported, raising £293, and the Redland Fair Bouncy Castle only raised £106. However, the Summer Fair raised £2,249, particularly pleasing given the foul weather on the day.
Tea & Cakes sales continue to raise fantastic amounts, totalling £1,595 over the year.
I'd like to record a huge vote of thanks to the Class Reps, and those other regular attendees and contributors, without whose efforts and organisation the school would be distinctly poorer. There are several of you who give a huge amount of your time and effort.
Donations to the School
The lack of one major fundraising project or goal has led to a number of smaller donations being made over the past year. The major individual event has become Art Week, to which the PTA contributed over £2,500. A further £2,370 was donated towards activities and resources commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade, including several dance and performance workshops. The Pupil's Kitchen was completed last year with additional funding of £800 from the PTA, and £400 was paid into the Hardship Fund for school camp. The recent successful Book Week incurred costs of £600, which will be offset by money raised by the second-hand book sale and parental donations.
Tea & Cakes money goes directly to the class teachers to be spent - both Year 5 classes spent their tea and cakes money on classroom games for wet play. Year 3 bought stationery which was on the children's "wish list" but could not be bought from the normal class budget including glitter pens, paints, stickers. Year 2 bought Art and Craft resources including a glove puppet making kit and stencils.
Ongoing Projects
During the year it was decided to abandon plans to build a Multi-Use Games Arena in the playground, due to planning permission issues and subsequent reduction in funding. A group was set up to look at how the £10,000 plus could be spent to increase children's engagement with sport. Three areas were identified: 1) Kit and Equipment 2) Access to Facilities 3) Access to Coaching.
Unfortunately, the absence through illness of Mr. Sapsford (Yr. 4), as sports co-ordinator, and pressure of other work, has delayed progress. Much needed Kit and Equipment to the value of £1,600 was identified, but this has now been purchased through the Government funded National Opportunities Fund. The group will meet again soon to plan further progress. The PTA ideally needs two representatives on this group, and volunteers would be welcome!
At the PTA's prompting, the school has signed up to the Eco-Schools program, under the co-ordination of Ms. Davies (Year 1), and work last year has allowed us to achieve a Bronze award. The working group has identified the first three key areas for action as Litter, Recycling, and Transport. The class litter rota has been reinstigated, and £64 has been spent on equipment for this. We are investigating squirrel and seagull-proof litter bins for the playground. The Recycling Consortium has been to school to give assemblies and workshops based on the 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' ethos and further work is planned with this group this term. The Eco-Schools working group will present additional requests for funding at our next meeting.
In the past year, PTA meetings have often discussed renovating the school attic space, and work has been undertaken over the summer to do this in Year 4, funded by the school. It has also now built and paid for the much discussed Music cupboard near the Lost Property area. Miss. Hepinstall has requested that the PTA fund the purchase of some new instruments now that the cupboard is built, and we will consider this at our next meeting.