A PTA is an organisation made up of parents and school staff, working together to strengthen the partnership between home and school. While PTAs are well known for their fundraising, they also play an important social role by bringing families, pupils and staff together through events and activities.
At Offord Primary School, our PTA is known as OPTA (Offord Parent Teacher Association).
At Offord, all parents, carers and staff are automatically members of OPTA. An Annual General Meeting is held each September, and all parents are warmly invited to attend. During this meeting, a committee is elected to lead the PTA. This usually includes a chair, vice‑chair, treasurer, secretary and a number of general committee members.
The OPTA committee meets once a term and often forms smaller working groups to plan and run individual events. Any help—big or small—is always appreciated. We are especially keen to hear from family members with practical skills who may be able to support small tasks around the school.
- Chair: Louise Byam‑Cook
- Treasurer: Fatemah Ansari
- Secretaries: Alison Grass / Katie Metcalfe
- Committee Members: Sarah Brown, Sarah Cutworth, Rebecca Davis‑Marsh
OPTA raises funds through a variety of events held throughout the year. Typically, there is one main event each term—for example:
- Christmas Raffle in the winter
- Easter Tombola in the spring
- Village Fete in the summer
Other popular events include bingo, beetle drives, bake sales and tuck shops. We always welcome new fundraising ideas. Every penny raised directly benefits the children.
Funds raised by OPTA are used to provide “extras” that enhance the school experience but are not covered by the school’s core budget. Previous projects have included:
- Outdoor classroom
- New books for the school library
- Early Years equipment
- Playground apparatus
The OPTA committee works with the headteacher to decide how funds should be allocated. Smaller purchases have included gifts for Father Christmas to distribute. Last year, OPTA supported the creative curriculum by funding a new PA system and glockenspiels for music lessons.
There are many ways to support OPTA, whether you have lots of time to offer or just a little. Some roles require a regular commitment, but all contributions make a real difference to school life—and they can be great fun too.
If you can’t commit to an ongoing role, you might:
- Run a stall at the Village Fete
- Bake for a cake sale
- Help at a one‑off event
- Simply attend and support OPTA activities
Without the involvement of parents and family members, many of the enriching experiences our children enjoy simply wouldn’t be possible.
Email: offordpta@gmail.com
Follow OPTA: Facebook: OPTA – Offord Primary School PTA Instagram: @OPTA_offordprimaryschool
Come along and get involved—everyone is welcome.