PTA
Welcome to Sandiway Primary School PTA
As a parent of a child at the school you are automatically a member of the PTA and we also warmly welcome grandparents, carers, former parents and friends to get involved in our events.
We are fortunate at Sandiway Primary School to have a very active PTA that has been an integral part of the school community for many years. Every year we raise thousands of pounds which are spent on equipment, resources, and subsidising trips and events to enhance and enrich our children’s educational experience.
Our PTA is about much more than simply 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.
All parents and members of the school community are encouraged to get involved, even if they only have a small amount of time available. We run and support a huge range of events from the big money raisers to the ‘just for fun’. Favourites include discos, cinema evenings, raffles, second uniform sales, the not to be missed gin and quiz night and we support our Sandiway Village Gala Day. There is something for everyone to get involved in and we rely hugely on volunteer support.
We are also keen to help the school tap into the wealth of its families’ talents: if, for example, you are a keen gardener, photographer, graphic designer or have an interesting job that you could talk to the children about, or you work for a company which will help us with match funding or volunteer days we would love to hear from you.
We encourage you to attend the PTA AGM which is held at the beginning of each school year to find out more about the PTA. This is also when the Committee is elected.
PTA Committee meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month and are also open to anyone interested.
Contacting the PTA
You can contact the PTA at this email address sandiwaypta@gmail.com or speak to any of the committee in the school at pick up or drop off. Pictures of PTA members are displayed in the school entrance next to the teachers’ pictures.
We are also on social media using the following information.
Facebook - Sandiway Primary School PTA or Instagram @SandiwayPTA
FAQs
What is the 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. PTAs are best known for their fundraising work, but they have a useful social function too. Fundraising events provide an opportunity for parents, staff and pupils to get together.
The Sandiway School PTA is a registered Charity.
What does the money get spent on?
ALL the money raised by the PTA goes back into the School. We try to make sure that the money is used for the benefit of all the children at the school.
The book bags for new starters, Easter eggs that children bring home, the Xmas presents that Santa brings, the subsidised swimming coaches and class trips, some of the playground equipment, new sports bibs, buddy trips to the Christmas Pantomime, Nativity costumes, the rejuvenated pond area, the cover for forest school and hugely the school's ongoing partnership with The Storyhouse Theatre which brings a theatre practitioner into Sandiway school for a full day every week.
These and many more are all either wholly or part-funded by the PTA.
Why do we do this?
It’s important to realise that without the assistance that the PTA provides the school would have to sacrifice funding from other budget areas to make these options possible for our children, or worse, not offer these things at all!
Who is the PTA?
We all are! As a parent at the school you are automatically a member of the PTA and we also warmly welcome grandparents, carers, former parents and friends to get involved in our events.
The PTA is not just mums, we have a Dad and a Grandad on our committee actively helping out too!
Chair: Rebecca Roberts
Vice-Chair: Sarah Williams
Treasurer: Abbie McNair
Vice Treasurer: Katharine Ross
Secretary: Alex Sheeran
Vice Secretary: Inneka Cork
Committee members:
David Wild
Nick Pickering
How do we raise money?
Fundraising is mostly through the events we organise, grants we have applied for and stand-alone parent donations.
How is the PTA organised?
The PTA holds our annual general meeting in September, at the start of the school year. At this meeting, a committee is elected to run the PTA –consisting of (at a minimum) a chair, a vice-chair, a treasurer, and a secretary. Additionally, we will try to appoint at least one parent from each class as a ‘class rep’. Their job is to pass on information from the PTA to other parents in their child’s class.
The PTA committee usually meets once a month to organise individual events.
How can I get involved?
- Sign up to our SPOND group to be notified when we need volunteers to help support our events.
- Follow us on social media for updates and reminders.
Facebook - Sandiway Primary School PTA or Instagram @SandiwayPTA
- Talk to any PTA committee member or your class reps, ask them how you can help them out or pass on ideas for new events.
- Come along to the next PTA AGM and just listen, then if you feel up to volunteering for something, you can start small or help out with organising an event!
- We are also keen to help the school tap into the wealth of Sandiway families’ talents: if, for example, you are a keen gardener, photographer, graphic designer, DJ, Event planner or have an interesting job that you could talk to the children about, we would love to hear from you.
- Or simply COME ALONG & SUPPORT OUR EVENTS!