OBJECT OF THE ASSOCIATION (THE OBJECTS) IS TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF PUPILS IN THE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR BY:
1. DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE STAFF, PARENTS AND OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCHOOL
2. ENGAGING IN ACTIVITIES OR PROVIDING FACILITIES OR EQUIPMENT WHICH SUPPORT THE SCHOOL AND ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE PUPILS.
We work with the school to organise and host range of events and activities to raise funds to enhance the educational experience of the children at Palace Wood school. Our events and activities also help build links between the school and the local community. Examples of these are our Christmas fayre, the Share the Love campaign where the children hide little hearts around the local community for others to find, repurposing second hand books at the Willy Wonka Book Shop that were kindly donated by the community and parents/carers, sponsored themed events like the Pancake Flip challenge, afterschool Easter egg hunt, helping the children celebrate someone special in their lives by running secret shops for Mothers and Father’s Day, working with local businesses to host school discos and arranging activities and competitions to celebrate national events like the Jubilee! All these events help us to build relationships within the school, outside in the local community and to raise much needed funds.
These funds are then used to purchase a range of services and goods that enhance the educational experience of the children. Some examples of these are assisted the purchase of smart screen technology and laptops for each classroom, provided new sports kit, helped to fund the outdoor activity equipment, repainted the infant playground with activity graphics, provided an outdoor classroom and bought new furniture for the school library. The Trustees decide as a committee how to spend the raised funds.
We take suggestions and advice from the Headteacher, members of staff, parents/carers and the pupils of the school on the items or services they require the most. We do this through student suggestion boxes, regular open Friends meetings, having the committee members visible and known in the school community for regular conversation, having members of staff on the committee and having a committee representative attend the school pupil’s council meetings to hear suggestions and report back to the committee.
The allocation of funds is always balanced with how best the money can benefit the school community as whole. We also undertake some longer-term projects depending on the needs identified to improve the educational experience of all the pupils at the school. For example, fundraising for a Round House for Palace Wood’s Forest School.
