A history of Friends of Wedmore First School

Founding

Before the School moved to its current site a PTA existed and was running in the 1970’s. However, the Friends of Wedmore 1st School was started in 1993 shortly after the School transferred to its present site. It later registered as a charity and became part of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations in July 2002, adopting this organisation’s Model Constitution.

Development

Over the years the Friends of Wedmore 1st School has worked hard to establish fundraising events throughout the year to raise money for the School. Examples of our fundraising events:

• Craft Fair

Crafts people pay a fee for a table to sell their goods at the Fair. Friends of Wedmore 1st School and children from the School make things to sell. A tombola is held for donated items. Raffle tickets are sold for donated prizes. Items are donated which children can buy at pocket money prices for presents.

• Cake sales

Friends of Wedmore 1st School bake cakes and sell them

• School Shop

Run by Friends of Wedmore 1st School the School Shop orders school uniform items and then sells them

• Winter Supper

People from the School, Village and local area buy tickets for a meal at the Village Hall. The meal is provided and served by Friends of Wedmore 1st School and the Hall is decorated

• May/Summer Ball

People from the School, Village and local area buy tickets for a May/Summer Ball. An auction is held of donated items and services. This event takes a lot of effort to put together with a large number of Friends of Wedmore 1st School working to make it happen.

• Bike Trials

Children from the local area take part in bike trials for the grand prize of a bike.

Friends of Wedmore 1st School supports the School in every way it can. It is now the case that the School’s annual budget only allows the School to provide a basic level of education and makes it difficult to maintain and replace teaching equipment and resources. Friends is a crucial organisation that provides essential funding to pay for specialist teaching or coaching, purchasing new or replacement equipment and books, and providing the children with enhanced educational experiences such as Environment Week and visits to external events. In the past money Friends of Wedmore 1st School has raised has provided funds for:

• Books
• Interactive Whiteboards for the classrooms
• Reception play equipment
• Maintenance of the Swimming pool such as new liner. Friends have provided all maintenance of the pool since it was built over ten years ago.
• Hire of brass instruments for a whole class to have the opportunity to learn a brass instrument
• Specialist Sports Coaches
• Car seats
• Music equipment
• Classroom storage
• Learning Zone setup and resources (this includes our School Library Area and Computer Suite)
• Children’s Xmas presents from our visiting Santa
• Literacy Week
• Environment Week
• Decoration of the Special Educational Needs room
• Supplements some coach transport of children to events and sports especially where parents are unable to meet costs
• Part funded ‘Life Bus’ which provides an interactive element to our Personal, Social and Health Education programme
• Science equipment
• Materials and equipment to aid the teaching of Maths
• French teacher
• Spanish Teacher