WELCOME TO THE KES PTA

As a parent at King Edward's School, you are automatically a member of KES PTA and we warmly welcome you to join us at one of our many events that take place during the year.

The KES PTA is open to all friends of the School including parents, staff, governors and Old Edwardians. It functions to support the School by uniting parents, past pupils, governors, teaching staff and administrative staff in fundraising to supplement facilities and in organising social events to enhance the School community.

WHAT WE DO

The PTA Main Committee meets each term and is elected at the AGM in the Summer Term. Sub-committees include Social, Prayer Group and OBNO. We welcome all parents' involvement in the committees and you can get involved as much or as little as you like.

• The Social Committee:

The Social Committee meets every half-term to discuss the planning of social and fundraising events. The events are held throughout the year and vary from a New Parents Social Evening to a Quiz Night. All are fun social occasions designed to allow parents the opportunity to mix with other parents and staff in an informal setting.

Most events raise funds for KES; others raise funds specifically for the School Charities Commission. You can support the Social Committee, not only by joining the group but, by offering to volunteer at events or simply buying a ticket.

• OBNO:

The PTA raises money by selling Outgrown But Not Outworn (OBNO) items of school uniform donated by parents. Not only does this raise funds it also reduces waste, encourages reuse and also supports families financially as well.

Donations are always welcome, however uniform should be the current uniform, clean and in a good condition. Items for resale should be placed securely in a bag and dropped at Reception by your child. OBNO's best quality stock is available to purchase online at https://kes-obno.square.site/.

All orders received by Thursday 9pm will be available for your child to collect from Reception on the Monday morning. The shop may have additional stock, including sports equipment, shirts and trousers, so do email enquiries for anything you cannot find in the online store. In addition the shop opens at various dates throughout the school year which are advertised in the bulletin or in the calendar.

The OBNO shop is manned by parent volunteers. We are always looking for more parent volunteers to help with collecting clothes, sorting them and/or selling them. If you feel you can spare an hour or two a term, please contact us.

• The Prayer Group:

We are a group of parents who believe that prayer makes a difference and are therefore committed to praying for the staff and pupils at KES on a regular basis. We meet four times a term; twice to pray with the Staff at KES during their lunch hour and twice, with other parents, over breakfast in our different homes.

We occasionally meet for a social with our families and we also actively support the Christian Union in the Upper School and Interface in the Lower School. If you are interested in joining us or you would like further information, please contact us.

• The PTA Council

We meet once each term and bring together, for review, all the main activities of the PTA: Social Committee, Treasurer, OBNO and the Prayer Group. Council comprises representatives from parents, staff and governors. The staff representative presents bids for funds and reports on how PTA donations are being spent. The Head updates us on what is happening in the school community. It's like being given the inside track and is very interesting!

That all sounds very formal, which it isn't! In essence, Council acts as an open forum. All parents are warmly welcome to attend and join the debate. The Head comments on how helpful it is for staff to hear the parent perspective so your involvement is important.

Meeting minutes are available on request

How can I get involved?

As a parent at King Edward's School, you are automatically a member of KES PTA and we warmly welcome you to join us at one of our many events that take place during the year.

Firstly, we would love to see you supporting the social events organised by the PTA. It is an ideal way to meet new friends, catch up with old friends and, in the process, lift the community spirit of the school.

Secondly, we would value your help no matter how large or small. We realise that lives are busy but even if you could spare some time to help with setting up an event, without ongoing commitment, it would be greatly appreciated.