The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at Saint Sebastian’s Primary School (reg charity 1091106)

Our PTA is a registered charity that works in conjunction with the school to raise funds to buy equipment that the school and pupils would otherwise be without. We work with the teachers and head to produce a wish list of items that the school would like to have, that the PTA would like to provide and prioritise the items to purchase.

It is run by parents at the school who want to help by raising funds for the school to use after it has been agreed what the school’s needs are. All the events are run by volunteers, and we all aim to raise as much as we can. We send our newsletters and have meetings every month to discuss ideas and allocate funding, organise events, rally the volunteers and plan more events.

Each school year, we develop and implement fun-filled family events that produce necessary funds that we put towards the items on our wish list. Ideas for fundraising events are raised at meetings with votes on which we feel will be the most successful.

As well as the usual school fundraisers like the Summer Fayre and Christmas Fayre, we also have done things like Bag 2School, where parents donate unwanted clothing or linen in a blue bag, and the school receives funds depending on how many bags we collect.

There are also fun events for the children such as the popular cinema nights where children come to school in their pyjamas and watch a film in the hall with popcorn as well as discos and quiz nights for the adults!

The children themselves help organise and participate enthusiastically in each year's cake sale competition the winner (the class who raises the most win a PTA party at the end of term).

We also run sponsored events and stalls and try to raise money each year in new and innovative ways. We are always open to suggestions about other revenue streams one such scheme this came about because a parent works for a company who match funds raised, so they were able to double the amount raised on the Christmas Fayre stall because of this scheme.

The PTA is made up of a chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer, as well as class reps for each year, a uniform co-ordinator, catering manager and press & publicity officer.

This year the PTA is being run by:

• Chair — Leo Flores-Ortega
• Secretary - Sophie McKeown

Anyone can attend the meetings — by being a parent of a child at Saint Sebastian's — you are already a member of the PTA! You don’t have to join in or say anything but if you wish to be involved please do let us know. We welcome any help in whatever capacity.

We invite you to share as fully as you are able. Your ideas and contributions are welcome. Absolutely any parent can attend the PTA meetings, you don’t need to be on the committee or have an active role. Attending the meetings allows you the forum to share your voice and to help set the direction of the group, but monthly attendance is not required. Whether it's financial, organisational, inspirational, creative or active, we all have special talents that will strengthen and invigorate our community. We urge you to participate: give a little, gain a lot.

In the last three years the PTA has funded computers to go in each classroom, new wooden playground equipment and last year we were able to purchase 24 laptops and a chargeable secure laptop trolley to house them. Being able to support the school in this way is an amazing achievement and it is so rewarding to see the children using the equipment that the PTA has provided.

You can keep up to date with the PTA via the newsletter. They can be contacted  by emailing pta@st-sebastians.wokingham.sch.uk or see a class rep or any PTA member in the playground.