The Chair provides leadership for the committee sets the agenda for meetings and manages meetings in line with the agenda.
The Chair should ensure that issues are properly debated and an agreement is reached. Some committee members will be better at expressing themselves than others; it is important that the chair welcomes contributions from all members of the committee so that everyone feels involved.
The Chair will ensure that all new members feel welcome and their contributions valued. The Chair will introduce them to the other members and encourage them to play an active part in the discussions at committee meetings.
To ensure the smooth running of meetings the Chair must remain impartial and make sure that all parties have a voice and the opportunity to participate in decision-making.
The Chair will work closely with the Treasurer and Secretary to ensure that the PTA is run effectively. As an Officer of the committee, the Chair will be one of designated signatories and will sign cheques on behalf of the PTA along with other designated signatories.
Job function
To ensure that the business of the PTA is conducted in accordance with the wishes of the representatives of the PTA, to uphold the constitution of the PTA, and prepare and submit statutory reports to Regulatory Bodies.
Main duties:
- Provide leadership
- Sign the approved minutes of the last meeting
- Set the agenda for meetings
- Get to know members of the committee
- Run meetings in an efficient and timely manner ensuring that everyone is able to contribute
- Agree a date for the next meeting
- Welcome and involve new members
- Write the annual report in cooperation with the Secretary
- Sign cheques for the PTA with one other committee member.
- Completing the charity return along with the Vice-Chair (October/ November)
- Has the casting vote.
The Vice Chair will carry out the following roles in the absence of the Chair and support the Chair to:
Provide leadership for the committee sets the agenda for meetings and manages meetings in line with the agenda.
Ensure that issues are properly debated and an agreement is reached. Some committee members will be better at expressing themselves than others; it is important that the chair welcomes contributions from all members of the committee so that everyone feels involved.
Ensure that all new members feel welcome and their contributions valued. The Chair will introduce them to the other members and encourage them to play an active part in the discussions at committee meetings.
Ensure the smooth running of meetings the Chair must remain impartial and make sure that all parties have a voice and the opportunity to participate in decision-making.
Work closely with the Treasurer and Secretary to ensure that the PTA is run effectively. As an Officer of the committee, the Chair will be one of designated signatories and will sign cheques on behalf of the PTA along with other designated signatories.
When the Chair is present the Vice-Chair will act as a support.
Job function
To ensure that the business of the PTA is conducted in accordance with the wishes of the representatives of the PTA, to uphold the constitution of the PTA, and prepare and submit statutory reports to Regulatory Bodies.
Main duties:
- Provide leadership
- Sign the approved minutes of the last meeting
- Set the agenda for meetings
- Get to know members of the committee
- Run meetings in an efficient and timely manner ensuring that everyone is able to contribute
- Agree a date for the next meeting
- Welcome and involve new members
- Write the annual report in cooperation with the Secretary
- Sign cheques for the PTA with one other committee member.
- Completing the charity return along with the Vice-Chair (October/ November).
- Has the casting vote in the absence of the Chair.
The Secretary ensures that the PTA runs smoothly and provides a link between Committee Members and the PTA, and between the PTA and the School. This requires good organisational and communication skills and being able to stick to deadlines.
Job function
The Secretary is a key committee member as they are responsible for ensuring effective communication links between committee members and between the PTA and the school.
The Secretary deals with all the correspondence that the PTA receives and helps the Chair ensure that committee meetings run smoothly. Building up a good relationship with the school office, will help make sure that correspondence sent to the school, is passed onto the PTA promptly.
As well as dealing with correspondence, following a committee meeting, the Secretary will need to make bookings and other arrangements for events and confirm arrangements made by telephone in writing (by letter or e-mail). The Secretary will make arrangements for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and help the Chair prepare the annual report. The Secretary may also be involved in co-signing cheques on behalf of the PTA.
Main duties:
- Deal with correspondence
- Arrange meetings
- Prepare and distribute agendas
- Take the minutes of meetings, type them up and distribute them
- Ensure that enough committee members are present to make the meeting quorate
- Sign cheques as required
- Write the annual report with the Chair
- Preparation and distribution of newsletters and other communications to parents
- Preparation of publicity flyers, posters, tickets, etc. for events.
A key role for all committee members is to manage and control the funds that the PTA raises. Although all the committee members have equal responsibility for the control and management of PTA funds the Treasurer plays an important part in helping the committee carry out these duties properly.
Job function
To maintain up-to-date records of all PTA financial transactions.
Main duties:
- Day-to-day management of accounts, including issuing bills and receipts on behalf of the PTA and making payments
- To prepare and update financial ledgers on a regular basis
- To complete banking transactions on a regular basis
- To organise floats for fundraising events, collect and reconcile monies raised at these events and report totals raised to the appropriate stakeholders. Money raised at school events will be locked in the school safe after the event
- To prepare and report financial statements at PTA Meetings
- To prepare a concise Financial Report for the Annual General Meeting
- Charity registration and Gift Aid.
- Responsible for keeping the gambling license (January) up to date and provide a copy for school.
- Responsible for updating the insurance (February 8th) and providing a copy for school.
Committee Members work alongside the Officers.
Main duties:
- Attends PTA meetings
- Gets involved in planning, owning and running events
- Runs smaller projects
- Encourages participation and enthusiasm for the events organised by the PTA
- We would like representation across all year groups. New parents to the school will be warmly welcomed.
- Source support from local community e.g. donations from businesses.
You are automatically a member of the Kessingland Church of England Primary Academy PTA whilst your child is a part of our school. However, we urge you to get involved as a regular member to help us plan and host events that our children will enjoy and remember.
1. Name
The name of the Association: Friends of Kessingland CofE Primary Academy.
2. Objectives
To advance the education of the pupils of the school by providing and assisting in the provision of facilities for education at the school, and to further these objectives the PTA may:
a. Foster more extensive relationships between the staff, parents and others associated with the school; and
b. Engage in activities which support the school and benefit the pupils attending it.
3. Limitation of the purposes of the Association
Nothing in these rules shall permit the Association, or any of its Committees to interfere in the administration or management of the school.
4. Membership
All members of staff, the governing body and parents or guardians of children attending the school shall automatically become members. Other people with an interest in furthering the objectives of the Association may apply for membership, and be admitted at the discretion of the Committee.
5. Officers and Annual General Meeting
a. A delegated member of senior staff will always be present at all meetings. This will usually be the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher.
b. Be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. In special circumstances Officers may be co-opted until the next AGM. No one of these Officers can continue to hold one office for more than three years, but is eligible for election to another post. After one year has elapsed, a person is eligible to serve for up to three years in a previous post. If a vacancy remains unfilled at the time of the first meeting of the Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting, the Committee may, at their discretion invite the retiring Officer to serve, even though that person has already served for three years or more in that position.
c. The association must hold a General Meeting within 12 months of the date of the adoption of this constitution. Thereafter, an AGM must be held in each subsequent year and not more than 15 months may elapse between successive Annual General Meetings.
d. 14 days notice of an Annual General Meeting shall be sent to all members. A quorum shall comprise of 10. A special General Meeting may be called at the written request of a minimum of 10 members at the Committee’s discretion. 14 days notice shall be given of any Special General meeting to all members of the Association.
e. A General Meeting may also be called for special or extraordinary reasons (called an Extraordinary General Meeting or EGM). In addition to being called by committee members, these can be called by members of the association.
6. Committees
a. The management of the Association shall be in the hands of the Association Committee, consisting of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer together with a maximum of 20 other members. All Committee members must be elected at the Annual General Meeting. In special circumstances committee members may be co-opted until the next AGM.
b. Committee meetings shall be held at least once per term. 8 members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
c. The Committee may appoint subcommittees linked to specific events being organised and subsequently reported to the Committee as soon as possible. No subcommittee shall spend funds of the Association otherwise than in accordance with a budget already agreed by the Committee.
d. Every decision may be made by a simple majority of the votes cast at a committee meeting. A resolution which is in writing (including by email) and signed by all committee members is equally valid. The resolution may be contained in more than one document and will be treated as passed on the date of the last signature.
e. Except for the Chair of the meeting, who has a second or casting vote, every committee member has one vote on each issue.
7. Finance
Bank accounts shall be operated in the name of the Association.
a. The Association has power to accept donations, subscriptions or otherwise raise funds for the purpose of the Association, to the extent that such activity should not include permanent trading.
b. Cheques shall be signed by two Officers
c. The accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer and shall be audited by one other member of the Committee.
d. Event expenses will be paid within 14 days of an event providing that receipts are presented.
e. For security reasons, the Treasurer and one other Committee Officer will regularly remove large notes from stalls at any event. The amount taken by the Treasurer/ nominated Committee member will be noted down and left in locked money boxes that will be stored in the school safe at the end of the event. The Treasurer or nominated person will hold the key to the locked money box.
f. All monies to be collected from all stalls by Officers (or appointed Committee Member in their absence) before the counting starts. Following any large event, at least 2 people (to include the Treasurer or if the Treasurer is not available, one other Officer) will be present to count up the money at the conclusion of the event. The money will not be left unattended at any point.
g. Monies from events to be banked as soon as is possible post event. All money is to be kept locked in the safe until such time as it is banked.
h. The Treasurer has the discretion to agree to increase the spending for a PTA event by up to £200. This is only for expenses of pre-agreed events by the Committee and miscellaneous e.g. refreshments, stamps etc.
i. If the school would like a request to the Committee for money this will be given in writing to the PTA at least 7 days prior to the meeting. The PTA will consider requests for curriculum activities and additional activities e.g. Leaver’s Celebrations, Christmas events.
8. Amendments
This Constitution is reviewed and updated as required yearly following the Annual General Meeting of the association by the committee:
a. The members must be given 21 clear days’ notice of the proposed amendments
b. No amendment is valid if it would make a fundamental change to the charitable purpose (objects)/clause 2 or destroy the charitable status of the association and no amendment may be made to clause 9 without the prior written consent of the Charity Commission
c. A copy of any resolution amending the constitution must be sent to the Charity Commission within 21 days of it being passed.
9. Dissolution
a. The association may be dissolved by a resolution presented at an EGM or an AGM where this is included in the notice of the meeting. The resolution must have the agreement of two-thirds of those voting and must give instructions for the disposal of any assets remaining after paying the outstanding debts and liabilities of the association.
b. The net assets shall not be distributed among the members of the association but will be given to the school for the benefit of the pupils of the school. In the event of the school closing any remaining funds would be spent on the children prior to closing.
c. If it is not possible to dispose of assets as described in clause
d. then the assets can be given to another charitable cause provided that the cause is within the objects of the association. e. The committee members must notify the Charity Commission promptly that the association has been dissolved. The committee members must comply with any request from the commission.
