Agenda
teacher, beat the goalie, and lots of races. One year, despite a good forecast, it poured down, and we decided to bring the whole fair into the hall. We even set up a bouncy castle in one of the classrooms. ‘In October, we’d start preparing
for bonfire night. A local farmer would collect garden waste and wood from villagers, with a horde of children on the back of his trailer. The PTA would then construct a huge fire. One year, I was manning the PA, playing some slow music for a fire dancer. In the darkness, I accidentally pressed the wrong button. The audience tried not to laugh as she desperately adapted her routine to fit the speedy, humorous theme of The Benny Hill Show. They still won’t let me forget it! ‘Old pupils and their families
would often come back for bonfire night, which was by no means a school-only event. Some residents loved taking part in the PTA and wanted to be more involved, so we decided to become a Parent Teacher and Friends Association to allow supporters to stay with us.’
The 2000s:
Social PTFA ‘When I was the chair in the mid-2000s, the school didn’t have many requests,’ says Jeannie Lawrence. ‘That was a challenge itself because we wanted to spend the money we’d been given before the donors left the school community. Several temporary classrooms were long past their best, but funds to replace them had to come from the council. We were able to donate some money to our partner school overseas. ‘We held meetings in the school
hall, but it was cold and uninviting. One of the first things I proposed was that we move them to the village pub, whereupon we miraculously grew in numbers! I always found it easy to get people together with the promise of a chat and a drink afterwards. I’d walk up to parents in the playground and engage them in conversation. If they seemed open to the idea, I’d informally suggest they come to a meeting. If they came a second time,
12 SUMMER 2021
pta.co.uk
we more or less had them hooked. ‘In my final year, it became harder
to engage some parents. As the school grew in size, people came from further away. Coming back to Kingston for PTA meetings and events was less appealing to them. I once asked a parent if she had an hour free for the May Fayre, and she told me in no uncertain terms what she thought of the idea – extremely loudly and in front of 20 little ones!’
The 2020s:
Digital PTFA A major extension in 2015 saw the Owl House integrated into the main building. In 2019, the PTFA paid half of the cost of a new playground. ‘I took on the role of
families to light up their houses by any means possible, from tea lights to bonfires and sparklers. We also held a Zoom disco, and my co-chair organised a firework- themed bake-off. ‘During the pandemic, we
‘It was one of the most
chair last October,’ says Zee Khan. ‘There was uncertainty around how Covid guidelines would impact the school, pupils, parents and PTFA. We held a small, socially distanced handover in the pub, which was allowed at that time, but meetings quickly moved online. ‘In the absence of our
much-loved bonfire celebrations, a PTFA member organised our first-ever Zoom event. “Lighting of the Beacons” was a free event designed to bring light and warmth to the community. We asked
enjoyable times of my life, I have to say. We all remain friends and often talk about our times and experiences.’ Jeannie Lawrence
have been trialling a new way to communicate with members, using the Slack messaging platform. We’re using Facebook Marketplace to give unwanted items a new home, and we’ve set up new ways for parents to donate without handling cash. Once the pandemic subsides, the PTFA will take on an important role supporting pupils’ overall health and wellbeing.’ ‘I live outside of
Kingston, and I’m aware that it’s the first time an Asian single parent has taken on
the role of chair. I think it’s important for young people to see that everyone
‘My team have pulled
together in such difficult times. Children need to be able to
relate to the world at large and it’s important that they see the PTFA represents us all.’ Zee Khan
is different and that we all bring a different kind of energy to what we do. I’m hoping to unite people and help them see things from another perspective. I’m already thinking about how we might observe different festivals and celebrate other cultures. ‘People know they
can approach me, and I’ll listen objectively. Being chair also helps me find the confidence to approach the teachers and open up the conversation.’
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