New Year 7 Parents/Guardians

Dear New Parent/Guardian

A big welcome from the Arden Academy Parent, Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA). We are a friendly diverse range of parents, carers, staff, and friends of the school who are passionate about supporting Arden students. As a registered charity our purpose is to advance the education of students attending Arden Academy by helping to provide much-needed resources and we do this by holding fundraising events and activities throughout the school year. 

Our biggest fundraising events have traditionally been the Arden Fireworks Festival and our famous Christmas Ball, which have been running for many years, and we also run a monthly raffle “Big Cash Draw” with an annual ticket costing just £12 for 10 chances to win the jackpot cash prize. However, in the current climate we are having to be more creative in finding ways to raise money which do not rely on ticketed events.

We typically raise between £10,000 and £30,000 per annum and every penny of profit is spent on improving the experiences for pupils at Arden Academy.  Over the last few years we have funded a diverse range of resources and enrichment activities including; the lease of the two school mini-buses, a professional and lighting system, equipping a Sixth Form Study area, provision of a school rugby kit for all school years and funding entrance fees to a national STEM competition for all Year 8 students.

All parents at Arden Academy are automatically members of the PFTA but our activities are run by volunteers and we welcome everyone who wishes to be involved. The PTFA really is a team effort and to thrive and develop it needs involvement and support particularly from new parents like you. We appreciate that parents and carers have busy lives so there are many ways to get involved, from being an Easyfundraiser, to volunteering for larger events, we are sure to have something to that works with your availability and suits your interests. Even an hour of your time to help at an event is a huge help. 

So, as a new parent/guardian, how can you get involved?

You can become a Committee member

The PTFA Committee meets monthly during term time to work on fundraising ideas and activities and to agree how funds raised will be spent. Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings which are held at school on the second Tuesday of the month at 7.45pm.  

You can help at a specific event(s) OR lend us your expertise

Larger events are run by sub Committees made up of a Chair and a small number of volunteers who meet in the run up to the event to make decisions about the format and organise the logistics. Events are also supported by volunteers who typically give an hour or two of their time to either set up, help at the event itself or to clear up afterwards. Many hands make light work, so we are always incredibly grateful for new volunteers to add to our list of ad hoc helpers. 

You can join our PTFA BIG CASH MONTHLY DRAW

For £12 per annum, you have 10 chances to win a significant amount of money every month/term. To join login to your Parentpay account where you will find The Big Cash Draw as an item for payment. You can enter as many times as you like. 

You can sign up for Easyfundraising

You can raise funds through your normal online shopping activities by signing up to Easyfundraising.  Simply go to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk and search for Arden PTFA and select us as your cause. When you do any kind of online shopping from buying groceries to insurance, visit the retailer via the Easyfundraising site and the PTFA will receive a donation. 

You can sponsor events

We have a range of sponsorship packages for all our events so if you work for or own a business that would be interested, we would love to hear from you.

You can donate gifts/prizes for PTFA events or raffles

Our Christmas Ball raffle is one of our big fundraisers and we have been incredibly lucky to have some amazing prizes donated to us by parents from sports tickets to weekends away and dog training to afternoon tea. We are grateful for all prize donations big or small.

Arrange Match-Funding via the company you work for

As a PTFA we are always keen to receive support for our fundraising events, but we are especially looking for those of you that can support through their workplace.  "Match Funding" is a scheme whereby your employer may "match" the money we raise if you are associated with our charitable fundraising activity.   Please ask your HR department if your employer supports charity fundraising in this way.

The academic year 2019/2020 has been particularly tough for pupils, staff, parents and carers but we have also seen what an amazing community we live in and how people have come together support each other during these difficult times. We know that this year the transition to secondary school will be very different and the PTFA provides a great way for parents and carers to come together as a group to support your child as the begin their journey at Arden. 

If you would like to get involved in any way, please email us at adminptfa@arden.solihull.sch.uk

Julie Sutton, Chair