Your PTFA at a glance.
We are delighted to introduce you to the LVS Ascot Parent, Teacher and Friends Association. The PTFA is a registered charity established to support the LVS Ascot school community. Everyone is welcome to join in with PTFA socials, projects, meetings and events.
We work openly, inclusively and sustainably to enrich the experience of children attending LVS Ascot. Brought together by this common goal, we have fun doing it and we make new friends along the way.
Our members are volunteers whose ideas, skills, and time (however little can be spared) are invaluable. Equally, we couldn’t meet our objectives without the generous contributions of our donors, event sponsors, and those in the wider school community who support our work.
Following unprecedented fundraising success, special thanks must go to last year’s committee and the teachers, staff, parents, and friends who contributed.
Motivated by the extraordinary results, we have been committed to building on this, engaging more people, and funding more school projects this academic year and for the year ahead. We are particularly excited to have launched new initiatives including Classlist, termly parent coffee mornings, and our new second-hand uniform shop.
New members are always welcome so, do get in touch if you would like to be part of the fun, or come along to one of our coffee mornings to find out more about us.
We would love to see you there! LVS Ascot PTFA Team
THE PTFA OBJECTIVES ARE TO:
1. Advance the education of pupils in the school in particular by developing effective relationships between the staff, parents and others associated with the school.
2. Engaging in activities or providing facilities or equipment which support the school and advance the education of the pupils.
We achieve this by:
a. Undertaking activities to raise funds which supplement school projects and initiatives, which are not otherwise available in the school budget.
b. Arranging events and opportunities to support the happiness, enjoyment, and wellbeing of pupils.
c. Fostering a positive community of parents, teachers, and friends of LVS Ascot, through informal gatherings, social events, and by sharing ideas and skills.
d. Encouraging parents to give their time to support committee meetings and organise events.
e. Promoting a culture where all are welcome and encouraging new friendships.
f. Engaging with local businesses wherever possible, supporting sustainable fundraising practices and collaborative working in the community.
g. Considering the environmental impact of our activities and actively seeking ways to mitigate it.
A FEW EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE DO…
Our fabulous Summer Ball, Easter hunt, Infant and Junior School disco, and ‘mufti’ days are just some of the wonderful events organised by the PTFA each year. In 2023-24, we also raised money by having a ‘Crazy Hair Day’, and arranging two ‘Bag2School’ drives where parents and staff donated their pre-loved clothes.
At Christmas, more money was raised through purchasing cards, tree decorations and tea towels designed by our little ones (who were delighted when Santa Claus visited the IJS with book gifts!). A fantastic job by all involved!
Our 2024 Summer Ball was held at the Castle Hotel Windsor, and raised over £4,000!
We also raised money by having a ‘Crazy Hair Day’
In 2024, we expanded our second-hand uniform provision by opening a shop on the school estate. We can stock more items and pupils can try on the uniform.
We are always grateful for an extra pair of hands to help organise and run our events, and it’s a great way to make new friends!
AND WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE MONEY RAISED?
Some of the funds raised are used to create fun experiences for the children, for example the Christmas gift books and Easter eggs. The majority of fundraising proceeds is allocated to school projects which are not already provided for in the budget. Allocations are decided during annual committee bid meetings.
In 2023, the committee allocated over £11,000 to install a new dance floor for all dance lessons to year 9, and GCSE students beyond.
In 2022-23, £900 funded a new pool table in the sixth form centre. It has been put to good use since the day it arrived and has created many social interactions!
THIS YEAR, THE COMMITTEE WILL FUND:
• A Pottery wheel
• Book vending machine
• Playground markings for the KS1 and KS2 playgrounds
• New basketball rims
• Additional cassette for the Clarke Sheet Press for recycling plastic
• Benches requested by the School Council
The PTFA will also allocate surplus funds towards replacing the digital scoreboard in the sports hall.
HOW YOU CAN HELP US?
TIME ?
We understand life is busy, but if you have 5 minutes, 5 hours or 5 days to help, we would be delighted. Whatever you can do would be appreciated.
Have a bright idea?
We can use it! Whether it’s a new twist on an old event, or fresh fundraising initiatives, we would love to hear your thoughts.
SKILLS ?
“CLASSLIST” MAKING LIFE A LITTLE BIT EASIER
In collaboration with school, we were delighted to introduce CLASSLIST last term.
We hope that parents and class representatives are already enjoying the benefits of this platform, where we can communicate, meet, manage lost property, volunteer, and raise money more effectively. If you haven’t signed up already, hop online and join us on Classlist!
Classlist was founded by two friends who know how hard it is to connect with other parents when your children start a new school. Susan and Clare met each other when they had moved back to the UK and both were struggling to meet the parents of their children’s new friends. GDPR rules meant the school couldn’t share contact details for other parents, making it difficult to set up playdates or find out when the class parents were meeting for coffee. Susan and Clare set up Classlist to bring the whole community of school parents together online and in person.
WHAT’S HAPPENING NEXT?
The PTFA is always considering new ways to achieve our charitable objectives. Throughout the year events and fundraisers will be planned. Please do let us know if you have any ideas or are able to help with organising an event - big or small they all help the cause!
Look out for details of our next coffee morning, and watch this space for next year’s events - so far, we have inflatables, a colour run, and a 2025 Fair in the making...
Any ideas for fund raising events would be welcomed
