Parent and Friends Association (PFA)

Our Role

The role of the PFA is to provide cohesion between the school and the community through social and fundraising events and activities. We bring together parents and carers with the school to raise funds and to have fun doing it. Our fundraising aims to enrich Northease Manor students’ education by providing equipment and materials to enhance the school’s resources and facilities.

Click for Our Objectives

To enhance the sense of community at Northease by (for instance but not exclusively) organising and running social events, creating opportunities for parents, teachers and students to enjoy and form good relationships.

To enhance the experience of Northease Manor students by raising funds used for additional resources. Funds raised by the PFA are intended to provide ‘extras’ not already provided by the school's main income – often 'fun things' that make learning more interesting and exciting.
To promote positive close co-operation & communication between parents & school.

It is not the role of PFA to raise or discuss individual student or parent concerns. Such matters should be raised through the appropriate channels following school guidelines.

School management/operational procedures; curriculum or timetabling; staff selection and appointment; school hours or holidays and management of budget all fall outside the remit of the PFA.

Click for How Our PFA Operates

The PFA is run by a committee, elected bi-annually at the annual general meeting. Parents/carers and legal guardians are automatically members of the PFA.

The PFA committee consists of a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Treasurer, a Secretary and Ordinary Committee Members. Ideally these Ordinary Members include at least one, and often two, parents from each year as 'year social reps'.

The committee positions are unpaid voluntary roles. Committee membership last for a period of two years, after which the opportunity to participate would be opened up to new people. New committee members will be voted in by the existing PFA Committee should more than one applicant apply. Applicants are required to provide a written request to join the PFA and to sign a declaration agreeing to maintain good working relationships with other PFA members and the school as well as confidentiality on private school matters.

There is the possibility to continue for longer if there are no volunteers to replace members however positions must not continue for more than three years.

The PFA committee, Headteacher, SLT and the Junior Leadership Team, decide how to spend PFA funds. Common items may include computers, playground equipment, or even a school minibus. Larger projects may be decided on in advance in consultation with the school community.

The PFA committee usually meet once a full term (three times a year) and may set up smaller working groups to organise individual events. Staff members and school governors may attend relevant meetings where required.

The PFA contributes to at least one event per term. This could be the Winter Fayre, Summer Fayre/Sports Day but may also help organise Leavers’ Day and Leavers’ Prom/Party.

There is an Annual General Meeting held in May every year.

There are no minimum or maximum time requirements from members; everyone contributes their time on a voluntary basis. However, we encourage active participation of members. Members may be contacted in between meetings for advice should the need arise.

All members must have children or young people enrolled at Northease Manor School. On leaving the school parents and carers are invited to join the school alumni association – The Old Northeaseians.

The PFA does not hinder the operations of the school and works to maintain a positive relationship and the good reputation of the school. Any sensitive information is kept confidential.

Click for the Committee Roles and Duties

The PFA requires all roles to be filled in order to operate effectively. Key roles can also combine as a year social rep.

Chair

The Chair has the role of leadership and should ensure that issues are properly debated and that agreement is reached.

Key responsibilities:

primary contact for communications with the school
chair PFA meetings
approve the agenda of meetings
approve and ‘sign off’ the minutes of meetings
get to know members of the committee and year social reps, ensuring they understand their individual roles and encourage open communication
welcome and involve new members
write up the report for the annual AGM
agree use of PFA funds with the school once authorised by PFA
positively support the school

Vice Chair

The Chair and Vice Chair have an associated and shared relationship and a split of responsibilities as above is agreed between themselves. The Vice Chair will deputise for the Chair in their absence.Treasurer

The treasurer manages and controls the funds the PFA raises by recording all income and expenditure.

Key responsibilities:

manage incoming funds and expenditure
is a signatory for the PFA bank account held in the school’s name
managing cash and bank account
withdraw money to provide a cash float for events
keep all original invoices
maintain the financial records
provide regular updates on income & expenditure at meetings
provide a termly account of the finances at each meeting
draw up the annual accounts to report at AGM
arrange appropriate licenses for events
liaising with the school’s Finance Manager when necessary

Secretary

The Secretary is a key committee member as they are responsible for ensuring effective communication links between committee members and between the PFA and the school.

Key responsibilities:

prepare agendas and minutes of meetings and distribute to all the committee and PFA in good time (usually a week before meetings for agendas a week after for minutes)
help the Chair ensure that committee meetings run smoothly
make meeting & event arrangements
preparation of publicity flyers, posters, etc. for events
update PFA webpage in liaison with school
maintain contacts list of members and year social reps
forward meeting minutes to the Headteacher

Year Social Reps

Year social reps ensure good communication between parents, teachers and the PFA. The role can be taken by more than one parent from each year group. They may run with mini projects for their allocated year, contributing ideas and helping out where they can with PFA events.

Key responsibilities:

induction of new families into their year group
provide feedback and ideas from year to the PFA
help the PFA with organisation of events and to recruit volunteers
help with PFA communications and disseminate the information to ensure parents are aware of what is happening and asking for parent feedback on where the PFA should spend money, issues etc.
compile a year list with parents contact details (for those who wish to be on it). This is useful for organising socials
arrange year group social event outside of the school.