Offord Parent Teacher Association (OPTA)

What is a Parent Teacher Association (PTA)?

A PTA is an organisation made up of parents and staff. Its role is to encourage closer links between home and school. PTAs are best known for their fundraising work, but they have a useful social function too. Fundraising events provide an opportunity for parents, staff and pupils to get together. The PTA at Offord Primary School is called OPTA (Offord Parent Teacher Association)

How is OPTA organised?

At most schools, including Offord, all parents/carers and teachers are automatically members of the PTA. An Annual General Meeting is usually held in September. All parents are invited and will be warmly welcomed. At this meeting a committee is elected to run the PTA – usually consisting of a chair, a vice-chair, a treasurer, a secretary and ordinary committee members. These ordinary members include at least one, and often two, parents from each class as 'Class Reps'. They are elected annually and their job is to pass on information from the PTA to other parents in their child’s class.

The OPTA (Offord Parent Teacher Association) committee usually meet once a term and set up smaller working groups to organise individual events. Any help, however small, is always appreciated and very much needed. We are currently looking for family members with practical skills to help wherever possible to undertake small tasks around the school.

Class Reps

This is a position that has proved a great success in giving families opportunities to get involved with the PTA and school life, without having to commit a more formal role. Each class, throughout the school (Wrens, Robins, Hawks, and Kingfishers) has at least 1 or 2 parents / family members, who represent the class and liaise with the PTA committee.

What is their Role?

The purpose of the 'class rep' is to ensure all ages of children at the school are represented by parents. As a 'class rep' you can be involved as much or as little as your time allows. All we ask is that you attend a committee meeting once a term and disseminate information to the parents in your child's class. We may, from time to time, ask for your help with events or ask parents from your child's class to volunteer.

How can I become a 'Class Rep?'

Anyone can be a 'class rep'. Please come along to any of the committee meetings or see a member of the committee in the playground. The OPTA notice board and newsletters will provide information on dates and venues for meetings and contact details of the OPTA committee.

The OPTA Committee

Chair - Currently Vacant
Treasurer - Verity Hartop
Secretary – Hannah Johnson

We appoint Class Reps each year at our AGM. These people will pass information from OPTA meetings to parents in their classes, as well as help seek any volunteers for events or wherever help is needed.

Wrens & Robins – Hannah Johnson & Nikki Mitchell

Hawks - Sarah Cutworth

Kingfishers - Charmane Collingwood

How is Money Raised?

OPTA raises money through events. They usually hold one main event each school term – for example, a Christmas Fair in the winter, Easter Raffle and a Summer Fair. Other PTA events include school discos and book fairs. We are always looking for new fundraising ideas. Remember, the money raised directly benefits the children.

How is Money Spent?

Funds raised by OPTA are intended to provide 'extras' not already provided by the school's main income. In the past we have fund-raised for the the outdoor classroom, books for the school library and forest school equipment. The OPTA committee and headteacher decide how to spend OPTA funds.Smaller purchases include items such as presents for Father Christmas to distribute. Last year we raised money for the new playground apparatus. This year we are looking to help enhance the creative curriculum subjects at school.

How can I get involved with OPTA?

There are many different ways you can help with OPTA, whether you have lots of time to offer or not. Some of the roles require more of a time-commitment but it is immensely rewarding knowing that your efforts are making a differencde to the school life of your child or children. It can also be a lot of fun for you! If you cannot commit to a big job, look out for things you can do less frequently (e.g. running a stall at the Christmas fair, baking for a cake sale), and you can always support OPTA events by simply turning up.

Without the support of parents and family members, our children will miss out on fun and exciting experiences that enhance their learning and help to make Offord Primary School the great school that it is.

For more information please contact our Secretary, Hannah Johnson, on offordpta@gmail.com

Follow OPTA on Facebook to see the latest news : https://www.facebook.com/OPTAssociation/

Come along and get involved!

Working together to achieve

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Offord Primary School
Millers Close, Offord D'arcy,
Cambridgeshire, PE19 5SB

Tel: 01480 810308
Email: office@offordprimaryschool.org

VACANCIES

THE CAM ACADEMY TRUST

Offord Primary School is part of The Cam Academy Trust, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with company number 0749 1945.
The registered office is at Comberton Village College, West Street, Comberton, Cambridgeshire, CB23 7DU