Newbridge Primary School Association
COMMITTEE MEETING
Date: Tuesday 15th June
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Blue Room
1. Welcome and introductions and apologies for absence
2. Outstanding items from last minutes
Notice boards - these have been in school for about a month now, some clarification is needed regarding putting up something so heavy. SW has spoken to DC regarding how to get round this. They need fittings and haven't been paid for yet. GK will follow up with DC too.
Boat - the wobbling bit will be fixed on 2nd July. SW is unhappy with the customer service received from the suppliers and feels a letter is needed from NPSA to raise this point. The boat has also not been paid for yet. Suggest withholding payment until it's fixed if possible. SW will write a letter and contact the company.
Fashion show - (1 July) Plenty of volunteers have come forward for this.
Risk Assessment - SW has done most of this but needs a list of stalls to complete it. IT will forward this to SW. St John's Ambulance will be in attendance at the fair.
New Parents' story days - (28,29,30 June) Volunteers needed to provide refreshments for these events. LC volunteered for all 3 days, AA for Monday & Tuesday, LB for Tuesday, KS for Monday and IT for Wednesday.
Summer hats - MT is selling these from the office.
3. Treasurer's financial update
£8,200 balance of account brought forward
We have raised £1,310
£860 was made on the barbeque (after payment of £100 to the band)
£160 was made on cake sales
£210 was made on ice creams
£80 on other items
Since the last meeting we have spent £3,120 on SATS breakfasts, the boat in the lower school playground, basketball posts for the upper school (these have been bought but need fixing), trophies and science week (the full £350 was used).
£7,960 balance now
The remaining annual commitments are £1,430
5 year groups still to take trips
£2,436 previously agreed items still to be paid for, eg basketball nets, outdoor play equipment and gardening equipment.
This leaves uncommitted balance of £4,094
£3,000 is needed for ongoing committments for next year; therefore £1,000 is already available for the multi media system for the Lower School.
4. Feedback on events
Family barbeque - thanks were given to the organisers LC, DF and TM. An event we will keep. The point was made to make sure people know to bring additional food to make a meal as only basic barbeque food is provided and they can also bring their own beer etc.
IT has emailed details to NPSA email so knowledge is not lost and asks for anyone else who has a point to make to do so too.
5. Summer Fair (Saturday 26 June) update
Mufti day next Friday (25th June) in exchange for a tombola prize. The Reception children will be out on a trip on this day. GK to check with Reception teachers if they are happy for the children to wear mufti on their trip.
Bottles are to be brought to the lower school hall as this is where the tombola will be held. We will store things in the old Head's office overnight. Set up will be from 11am on Saturday itself, GK will make sure the school is open. Barbeques needed to be brought in - DF will bring hers but we need around five. Suggestion made to purchase a school barbeque, problem with storing it. Ask around for others to offer theirs.
List of what each year group is being asked to bring in is in this week's newsletter. Volunteers are coming forward for stalls but the success of the event depends on lots of volunteers so ask around and stress it won't be for the whole fair, just part of it., Suggest asking year 6 to run a couple of stalls, MP to liaise with TH and JS regarding this. Also IT suggested asking Norland Nannies to run a stall.
6. Lower school football tournament
This is to be held on Thursday 24 June. DF's husband is willing to run this if he is given full information on what is involved. Reception/year 1 play together and year 2 play amongst themselves. Teams of 6-8 with a team manager. CG is willing to pass on her knowledge as she has run it with her husband in previous years. Medals are given to winners and participation certificates to all who take part. LL volunteered to do refreshments - free squash/water and selling ice-creams. Need referees.
7. Refreshments at upper school football tournament
This is to be held on Friday 25 June. To be run by JC. LL to do refreshments again. AW volunteered to do the scoring, assisted by KS.
8. Sports Day refreshments
AA, LA, IT and VN to make squash for the Lower School Sports Day on 8th July. IT and LB volunteered for the Upper School Sports Day on Wednesday 23 June.
9. The Good Fridays fund raiser
This is booked for Saturday 17 July. A subcommittee is needed for this. A bar will be needed; IT will be getting a licence for it this week. No meal will be provided, just snacks. the band will do their own posters and we can use a mini version of this for tickets. The band will get £2 for each ticket sold so it's a no-risk event for NPSA.
10. Requests for funding
The school school needs extra large outdoor play equipment - trikes etc, for the extra reception class in September, £1,150 requested for this. IT raised the point that the LEA are funding the additional class and therefore they should be funding this too, not just the basic requirements. GK responded that JC felt the LEA were being fair with the funding they were making available for the extra class but that it needed to stretch to too many aspects. SW raised the point that buying this equipment could lead to a surplus of this kind of equipment after the bulge year has gone through and therefore shouldn't we consider some more permanent free-standing equipment in the lower playground. Our summer fairs usually raise £2,000 to £3,000 plus we will have the monies from raffle ticket sales. Suggested to defer decision until after summer fair to see how much money is made. This will bring equipment into school in plenty of time for the new reception children to use. Vote taken on the assumption that the money is available to fund it. Carried.
11. Info for new parents
IT said she would like to set up an NPSA welcome pack for new parents. Many schools give a letter to new parents from the PTA and IT suggested adopting this. We will continue to have a speaker at the new parents' evening and IT will do this. IT and FV have a meeting arranged to draw up a welcome letter for the new parents explaining what the NPSA is and what its role is within the school.
LL suggested we can set up a standing order mandate for those parents who cannot attend events but still want to contribute. IT was against this as she thought it can sometimes turn people off and offend some people making us seem to be money grabbing. The raffle, for example, is a good way for these people to contribute by buying lots of tickets. FV suggested making it available and possible but without publicising it so if someone approaches the NPSA it can be done without causing offence. GK said as a working mum she would be interested in it if it were available for her son't school. At the last meeting IT proposed a new role on the committee for someone to handle gift aid so LB suggested adding this to the role. LL will also discuss it with PB.
12. Any other business
Groundforce Day - no upcoming dates but requested notice for future dates.
VF will do calendar again for next year. She has had the idea to make it more pupil-led, take groups out of the class and set it up where they want. GK thought JC would be happy with this as it encourages the children to be involved with their learning.
Wine and refreshments for meeting - should the committee be paying for this as the funds raised are for the benefit of the children? SW suggested refreshments for meeting are a legitimate expense and they should be purchased in one go for a good price. GK suggested setting a budget; SW proposed £100 not including refreshments for the AGM. IT thought this was too much but was outvoted. A budget of £100 for refreshments was agreed.
Year 6 leavers' party (22 July) - memory books need to be ordered, GK will do this. NPSA will fund leavers' party again - £150 for food, balloons etc. Need a standard format to make organising it easier, SW suggested buying decorations that can be reused for future years. SW will ask AR for her knowledge of what she did. Suggested a budget £150 - £200 for re-usable decorations. LL will set up an organising committee.
Wednesday 21 July at 2.15pm cream teas for volunteers. On behalf of the school GK thanked the NPSA sincerely for all their hardworking efforts and extended an invitation to this event.
13. Date of next meeting
Monday 12 July at 7.30pm at the Chelsea Cafe.
