Parent ,Teacher Association at Hillyfield
What do PTAs do?
A PTA is a Parent Teacher Association, an organisation with a mission to make the school a better place for children to learn. It brings together parents, teachers and children to raise funds and strengthen the school community. Money raised is usually spent on things that the school budget does not cover.
How is it different to the Governing Body?
In contrast, a Governing Body exists to support the strategic leadership of the school. Hillyfield Primary Academy Governing Body consists of staff, parents, Local Authority and community representatives. The governors have three main roles – Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Finance.
Why should I join one?
There are many reasons why you should join your PTA. From making new friends and getting to know the school environment,through to helping raise much needed funds and making a difference to the children and school community. All of these things help you grow in confidence as a parent and it feels good to know you are making a difference for your children and for generations to come.
Hillyfield does not have a PTA - – how can I set one up?
Sadly we do not have a PTA despite the best efforts of staff to support parents to form one (pre-pandemic). We believe this is mainly due to time commitments and the realisation that the school will support the group but does not run it.
Parentkind have lots of resources available to help you start your own PTA. You will need to consider what Constitution you need, this is the set of rules your PTA will abide by. Once this is all done then you are ready to introduce the PTA to your school community and start fundraising. Social media platforms are a great way to communicate with the school community and Parentkind have some great policies you can refer to keep all things safe and legal. Start small, with easy-to-run, manageable events and in time you will evolve and be able to grow with the full support of your school community.
Why is it important for a school to have a PTA?
A good PTA can help strengthen the child, parent, school community and can become a huge marketing tool for the school, a way of strengthening their reputation and increasing family engagement. The PTA can help communicate with families more effectively, enhance fundraising efforts and qualify for grants and awards to support the school. All of this activity helps enhance a school’s reputation within the community. The PTA is often referred to as the heart of the school community.
Please also see some of the information and guidance for setting up a PTA below.