Volunteering
Frequently Asked Questions
PTFA stands for Parents, Teachers and Friends Association. The PTFA is a registered charity with specific objectives set out in its Constitution known as Objects. These are to advance the education of pupils in the school, in particular by developing effective relationships between the staff, parents and others associated with the school, and engaging in activities or providing facilities or equipment which support the school. So as much as it’s about fundraising, there’s a very important social and community aspect.
Simply put:
• Create a positive, inclusive school community
• Provide extra opportunities for our children
• Fundraise for amazing equipment
The PTFA is run by a committee of volunteers who are elected each year at the AGM. Currently that’s Josie, Emily, Elena and Amy.
As we are a PTFA, anyone with a link or wish to support can generally get involved. So whilst it’s predominantly parents, guardians, carers and teachers, we welcome grandparents, aunts and uncles, and anyone from the local community who wants to help advance our school and children.
There are lots of benefits to volunteering. it’s widely accepted that being a volunteer is great for your general health. It’s a great way to feel part of the community, to get involved, leaving you feeling more connected, happy and confident. As part of the PTFA you’ll get to meet other parents from different groups in the school, and also meet the teachers in less formal surroundings, and hopefully make new friends within our community. There are also lots of opportunities to learn new skills and increase your confidence. Most importantly, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve made a contribution, and helped to make the school an even better place for your children.
The answer is pretty much everything, from planning to helping out at events, or helping us run our general services. Can you bake a cake? Do you have contacts that could help us source supplies? Could you help at a stall, or on the bar at an event? If you don’t want to get involved with events, we also need volunteers to help us with our second-hand uniform shop. Perhaps you work for a company that can help us out with raffle prizes or match fundraising, or offer discounts on refreshments or access to a local facility? If you have an idea of what you’d like to do, or skills you can offer, make a suggestion!
That’s entirely up to you. You can volunteer as little or as much time as you like. Just thirty minutes a year at an event would be a big help, although of course the more you get involved the greater the impact you’ll have.
If you sign up you’ll be added to our ‘Volunteers’ WhatsApp group. You’ll hear about our activities and how you can get involved. You’ll also be able to sign up to the Members Area on our website, where there’s lots more information.