Zoe Houghton, chair of the
Friends of Rathfern in south east London, says: ‘If you don’t have buy-in from your senior team, you’re not going to go very far: you won’t get space in the school to do what you want to do; you won’t get the communication from parents that you need or the volunteers you want; and you won’t get the attendance of staff.’ Since Zoe first became a parent at
Rathfern Primary School (492 pupils) over ten years ago, the school has been transformed. From struggling to attract pupils, it is now oversubscribed, thanks to the hard work of headteacher Naheeda Maharasingam and her team. This year, Mrs Maharasingam was awarded the Pearson National Teaching Silver Award for Headteacher of the Year in a Primary School, recognising her exceptional work in reshaping the narrative of poor outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Zoe says she is ‘inspirational’, and her inclusive approach is evident throughout the school. This includes the relationship
with the Friends, who Mrs Maharasingam describes as ‘a truly diligent and devoted group of parents who work tirelessly to raise funds for much-needed school resources’. She highlights their commitment and hard work as one of the factors that helps the school build community spirit. Zoe adds: ‘It doesn’t just feel like my children’s school now; it feels like part of my work, like part of my life. Even if we are two separate entities, I see it all as one.’
Strengthening bonds The Friends meet at the school every
week, and staff are encouraged to drop by to ask questions. Two early years teachers act as the liaison between the school and the Friends, which Zoe says is ‘pivotal in getting messages across and organising
things inside the school’. They are always available via email. Additionally, the school regularly invites the Friends’ committee to staff meetings, strengthening their connection and visibility. At the beginning of the school
year, Zoe asks Mrs Maharasingam about her priorities, where the budget is not meeting the school’s needs and how the Friends can help. ‘Our school has always held a welcome meeting for new starters, during which they give out a bag containing a PE kit and a book. But, for the past two intakes, they’ve not been able to afford the book, so we stepped in. We came to the meeting, added in a book and
welcomed every parent with their bag,’ she says. Although Zoe does not believe the
school would ever ask for anything unreasonable, the Friends have compiled a list of requirements for funding proposals. Staff members must complete a form that includes details of the item they are requesting, the reason for the request and evidence of its impact on the school community. This process ensures staff carefully consider all requests before ever submitting them. In addition, the Friends allocate a small amount of money to each class teacher to spend as they see fit. This year, to raise money for
It doesn’t just feel like
my children’s school now; it feels like part of my work,
like part of my life – Zoe Houghton
their classes, pupils created items to sell at the summer fair during their lessons and assisted their teachers in running class stalls. ‘We handed it all over to them,’ explains Zoe. ‘A year group who were learning about African history made notebooks covered in African prints; a class that was studying the environment grew and sold plants.
School Fundraising AUTUMN 2024 17
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
