THE FRIENDS OF OWSLEBURY SCHOOL

What is the Friends Association and why does it exist?

The Friends is an organisation of parents, staff and villagers which exists to provide closer links between home and school, bringing staff, parents and friends together socially in support of the school, working towards a common goal.  It can be fun too. Fundraising is, of course, a large part of the Friends activities and to date we have raised thousands of pounds, which have been spent on improving equipment and resources to enhance the children's education and the facilities in school in general.

Since we are a small school, the success of the Friends does depend on parents getting involved even if they only have a small amount of time available, and all parents are automatically members of the Friends when their children join our school.  Membership is free.

Raising Money & Having Fun

We are always open to ideas for raising money. Regular events are our Xmas and Spring Fairs and raffles, and Carol Singing. We also issue out catalogues for the Yellow Moon Craft and Toy Company, from which we get back a % of all sales. In the past we have had Summer balls, table top sales, Fashion Shows, sponsored events and much more. We also hold school discos, organise days out, sell cream teas on sports day, go out for meals. So you can see there is always something going on. Just how many events we hold and the nature of them depend to a large extent on you. You are the Friends.

How We Spend the Money We Raise

Once money is raised from events the funds are banked straight away.  It is at our Committee Meetings, that the decisions on how to spend the money are agreed. Usually, David White (our Head teacher) will have a 'shopping list' of items that the school would like to purchase.  Sometimes this will be as a result of the children asking for something. At other times it will be for resources to improve a particular area of the curriculum or school environment.  In the main the funds are for the 'extras' not provided by the school budget, that make our children's learning experiences so much more fulfilling and exciting. The playground equipment is a recent Friend's purchase, and this summer we are supporting the development of part of the field.

The money we raise is usually spent fairly quickly.  That way, you can be sure that in supporting our school, your child/ren will feel the benefit, along with everybody else.

Meetings

The Friends meet on an ad hoc basis when events are being organised / planned as needed, with the exception of the AGM. Our Annual General Meeting is held at the beginning of the academic year and this is an opportunity for all parents to come along and hear in more detail about events run, funds raised and how the money has been spent.  It is also the occasion when we elect our new committee and class representatives.

The Friends have a core Committee, made up of 4 roles (Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and they are supported by Year Representatives and other members.

The current core committee details can be found at WEBLINK

How We Get Information to You

All Friends' letters we send home are printed on yellow paper - so they are easily recognised.  The letters include information on forthcoming events and dates plus requests for assistance, when we are planning events. We also publish a Parents' directory with names and phone numbers by class (with individual's permission).

How Can You Get Involved

There are lots of ways you can help and support your child through the Friends.

• Offering to help before events or at other times during the year - it really is a case of 'many hands make light work'.  It doesn't matter if you can't help on a regular basis, or even if you can't come into school.  There are always little jobs that can be done from home if you have half an hour to spare.
• Persuading employers / friends / contacts to donate prizes for raffles, things to sell at the fairs
• Attending events, buying tickets etc are also good ways of contributing.
• You can, if you feel able, volunteer to be a Class Rep or Committee Member.
• Or you can simply support the AGM and give us your ideas for fundraising events - this is also the time to ask questions or voice your opinion.

The Friends Is A Registered Charity - Why?

The Friends are a registered charity because historically the Charities Act required all organisations such as ours with an annual income in excess of £1,000 to register with the Charity Commission. Since recent legislation has changed this amount to £5000, we could potentially remove ourselves from the charities register, but given the benefits of charitable status and the paperwork involved in re - registering as a charity later, if we achieve the £5000 target, we chose to retain charitable status.

Links with Local Business

We have, over time, developed strong links with the local community and are always well supported by both residents and businesses, for which we are very grateful.  Many of our local shops are very generous in their donations of raffle prizes etc.

Support from the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations - NCPTA

Our association is a member of the NCPTA.  We pay an annual membership fee to the NCPTA which gives us lots of member benefits including subscription linked insurance cover, support and advice, regular newsletters, a special banking package to help us make the most of our funds, and an extensive list of PTA information and resources.