Partnerships


writing some bids. We got a local grant of about £1,500 and received about £750 in total from two parish councils. FOSS ran lots of events through the pandemic, though we had to completely change the way we did things. For instance, the school allowed us to use ParentPay so we didn’t need to handle cash. We also explored new funding streams, such as online raffles and ran a ‘Challenge 21’ (in 2021) where the children were asked to get sponsorship for doing something of their choice involving the number 21. Some baked 21 cakes, others did something every day for 21 days or walked 21 miles. It was something everyone could get involved with at home through lockdown. As a result, the challenge raised nearly £3,000, which was huge for such a small school. Our £10,000 budget covered the


refurbishment of the classroom with beautiful library shelving and furniture, plus the purchase of many books. The school brought in a local artist to work with the children to create sculptures for the space and the library opened in June 2022. It has been a great success, partly because so many of the children and staff felt part of its creation. Since then, we have moved on to a


new project – developing an on-site Forest School area. We’ve continued to run meetings on Zoom because it’s easier and attendance is better. Mrs Matthews still comes along and we have another teacher on board who is in charge of the project. She explains everything to us and gives us ideas too, which has been fantastic and very enthusing. It feels like a completely new way of working with the school, and means that we have a strong partnership going forwards. The relationship between a school


and its PTA is crucial to determining the success of fundraising and how money is used within the school. A successful PTA takes a lot of commitment and hard work from volunteers, and it’s only when school leaders recognise and support their PTAs that they can truly harness their full potential. n Yvonne Cole, chair, Friends of Stanton School (FOSS), Stanton St Quintin Primary and Nursery School, Wiltshire (80 pupils)


16 SUMMER 2023 FundEd


Team up with your PTA 1


SEPARATE BANK ACCOUNTS It is a legal requirement for a


PTA to have its own bank account. A PTA is a stand-alone entity that works with (but not for) the school and must legally keep separate accounts. PTAs can also apply for charitable status, reinforcing the need for a separate account. Yet some schools still insist that only the school account is necessary.


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DON’T TAKE THE TAKINGS Some PTAs have immediately


been asked to hand over money raised at events, even to the point of being approached on the playground at the end of a school fair. Since a PTA needs to account for its takings, funds must go into its own account first.


CONSULT ON SPENDING PTAs have to ensure that


what they’re funding doesn’t breach the rules of their constitution, which is usually linked to benefits for all pupils. Schools can request funding for specific things but they can’t demand it. They certainly shouldn’t allocate PTA funds without first obtaining agreement. PTAs may have their own wishlist, so if you want their buy-in for your


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project, then consult and reach a consensus together. If PTA members feel listened to and valued, they’re going to give the project everything they’ve got.


DON’T MAKE YOUR PTA PAY Charging your PTA for venue


hire when volunteers are raising funds for you makes no sense, as the hire charge will have to be deducted from the fundraising total. If you are going to ask the PTA to pay for a cleaner, then do handle this sensitively.


IF YOU SAY ‘NO’, SAY ‘WHY’ If PTA volunteers are


prepared to put in time and effort for free to help your school, don’t say they can’t do something without giving an explanation. Discuss, compromise and work around the issue together.


COMMUNICATION MATTERS Having an open dialogue with


your PTA will build a better relationship and reap dividends. You will understand what they can and can’t provide funds for, plus you can share key dates to avoid diary clashes. Hardworking PTA volunteers are an invaluable asset so do respect and thank them for what they do.


COMPILED BY ROZ SMITH


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