Friends of Strand Schools is our Parent and Teacher Association (PTA).
Our main aims are to raise money and promote belonging to a “Strand community”.
All parents, carers and those associated with the two schools are automatically members of Friends and are therefore welcome to take part in the events, offer ideas, help and of course donate money or goods for all the children to benefit.
Friends of Strand Schools is a registered charity (charity number: 1181079) led by a committee of volunteers who plan and host a range of events throughout the school year. Each year, the funds raised by Friends’ events from the generosity of our parents, is spent on resources identified by the two Schools that are not covered by its annual budget but that most definitely complement and embellish the learning experiences of our children. In the past, we have funded a new library, purchased technology hardware, funded renovations, and bought equipment to help create outside learning spaces that are interactive and engaging for children.
There are some staple events that feature across our Friends’ (pandemic free!) calendar; namely Christmas and Summer Fairs, Bingo and Curry Night, Fireworks, and our Panto, and we also throw in some one-off events, trails and try new ideas such as clothes swaps or sponsorship challenges to appeal to all. In the most recent years, the children have also enjoyed their own Disco which is reliant on the DJ and chaperone skills of our supportive teachers.
We are lucky to be supported by our local estate agent, River homes, who contribute money to run our biannual raffles. They also promote our big events on their boards, placed at willing household addresses up to four times yearly.
We aim to keep our community informed about our events and news through a termly newsletter, email, and via the schools’ newsletters. We also have a Facebook page and welcome anyone to contact us via our email if you have any questions, suggestions or would love to help in any other way please let us know.