Meeting Minutes 27th April 2026

27/04/2026 – School Hall 7pm

Attendees present: 

Axelle Joos de ter Beerst AJ (Chair), Rachel Mackenzie (Vice Chair), Lisa Gammon LG (Secretary), Jenny Brown JB (CM), Marta Zielinska MZ (CM -Teacher), Lucy Prior LP (CM), Candi Roberts CR (CM- Headteacher), Claire Summers CS (CMP), Anna Pearson AP1 (CM), Gemma Ferguson GF (CM), Natalie Jolliffe NJ (CM), Carmen Dicara (CD), Natasha Collins (NC), Harriet Peachy (HP).

Apologies: 

Shagun Bansal SB (Treasurer), Ami Parker AP2 (CM) Becky O’Brien BO (CM), Nikki Webb NW (CM), Julia Beath JB (CM), Zoe Phillimore ZP (CM),

1.    Chair’s Update – AJ

Axelle thanked everyone for their efforts towards successful terms 3&4.

A special well done to the cinema club team this evening, who executed cinema club under tricky circumstances with the sunlight affecting the screen which lead to stopping the film early.

Introduced Natasha Collins as the new Clarefest lead.

Introduced Lydia De Castro, who has volunteered to take over comms from Zoe Phillimore and to become a committee member.

Committee Voted:

Mrs Roberts put forward to vote Lydia onto the committee and Claire Summers supports the instruction. All committee members present (except Anna Pearson at the time) agreed to the vote.

 Current Vacancies leads:

·      Secretary from September 2026. Currently speaking to an interested parent. 

·      Website manager

·      Corporate sponsorship

·      Grants

·      New Clarefest BBQ team for 2027

Action Point: CS to help update Corporate Sponsorship job descriptions and update vacancies on the website. Lydia to send comms on vacancies. 

2.    Financial Summary – SB as at 27.04.26

Pleased to advise, we have a very healthy bank account, thanks to continued successful events.

• £57k Cash at Bank and in Hand.

• £9,6926 Current Profit from events run from September 2025 to current date.

  o Top three profitable events: Clarefest ticket sales only so far £3,353, Discos £1,835, Xmas Wreath Making £1,666.

• School Uniform is performing really well, this could be the most profitable year ever.

• Total Donations £8,493 of which ‘To the school’ is £6,510 for Trinity Trip/storage shed/reception’s outside play equipment.

• Total Other income £14,797

  o   Direct donations £9,500 (£6,938- ChipIn)

  o   Tesco Grant received £5,000

• Total cash in bank after deducting liabilities of £27k from actual cash in bank of £57k- amounts to £30k. That’s a very healthy balance to support the school with potentially additional funding requests- bearing in mind we expect further profit still to come from Clarefest and Summer Fete.

3.    School Funding Requests

• ICT annual commitment £15k: All committee members present agreed to this expense

• School Hall Curtains: During the summer of 2025, the school hall was redecorated but unable to put the original curtains back up as the fixtures and fittings fell apart when taken down. School only had the funds to replace three sets, leaving four windows exposed to harsh sunlight and the cold during the winter.  Knowing this was not an ideal situation, school has had to make do and put up temporary provisions on one window.  The PTA’s cinema club was sadly impacted by the sunlight and had to stop the film due to the children being unable to see the screen, which was no surprise to Mrs Roberts. Curtains have also been damaged by pulling to close rather than using the pulley, they need to be fixed. Therefore, curtains for the school hall has become a priority. In principle all committee members present, agreed to committing £10k to pay for four sets of curtains for the school hall.  We are waiting to receive the revised quote from Mrs Cook.

• Windows: Year 1 and SEN windows in desperate need of replacing. These are oldest windows in the school. They do not close from the inside, you have to walk outside to push them shut.  The cost to replace windows is £25k, a huge sum of money to raise. Mrs Roberts suggested Focus fund raising event to fund the total cost.

• Grants: PTA to explore grant funding for this expense. AP Natasha Collins volunteered to explore grants. LG to send Natasha the Parent Kind login details and Grant job description. 

  
  

• Mrs Roberts asked a few questions regarding points raised at the previous committee meeting.

• Easter Egg Hunt- How did the managing of allergies go this year? 

  LP -allergy comms for the Easter Egg Hunt worked much better this year with the help from the school office directly contacting known families with allergies.

• IT open afternoon for parents; working with Mr Greaves and others showcase all the activities where IT is used, hidden usage and subscriptions.  Mrs Cook to discuss costs involved, PTA Chip In corner, the filmed made to highlight usage of IT playing in the background. The plan is for the showcase to happen during school hours before the end of this school year.

• New Parent Leaflet- AP please can Mrs Roberts review this before it’s circulated. Leaflets to have a place in school office reception.

4.    Clarefest Update CD

• Budget on track- Carmen confirmed still plan to come in below the approved expenses of £13k

• Current challenge is the Bar supplier. 360 no longer offer services. A gentleman who worked for 360 has confirmed he’ll run the bar and buy stock, he will require a £500 deposit. Some bar items will be sourced by Clarefest team which will significantly improve the mark up.  Waiting to receive the licensing documents to be reviewed.

• DBS checks fin process for Last Man standing. Carmen asked if the school office can check the DBS system as verification? Unfortunately, school can only double check system if they have submitted the original check. 

• SEN Inclusivity: The Lodge will be available again as a break area for those who require it. Entry to The Lodge will need to be requested at the newly dedicated PTA tent on the day. AP- To collect donated activities for children entering the lodge.

  o   New Ideas:

  1. Bar tokens for families to be given tokens to spend at the stalls/bouncy castle? Widely agreed Yes. AP: Carmen to contact Mrs Smith to distribute the tokens on behalf of PTA. 

  2. Dedicated time slot for activities so children do not need to queue.

     
     

• Letters to surrounding residents are being sent out this week. No complaints after last year’s Clarefest.

• Volunteers spreadsheet: The up-to-date spreadsheet will be sent out in comms asking for remaining sots to be filled.

• Gazebos: Comms to go out asking for families to donate gazebos for the day. The PTA do not have enough to service all the stalls.

• Bouncy castle helpers: Still looking for helpers aged 16+ to man the bouncy castles for the day.

• Staff tickets: Final consensus on free tickets for staff attending. Mrs Roberts feels to be fair for all, if parents are paying and volunteering then so should all staff. AP: Carmen to send draft email to that effect to school, for Mrs Roberts to review and send to all staff.

5. 1.    Summer Fete Update HP

• Everything is under control.  Structure is following last year’s- so no big change.

• New for this year:

  o Fire engine experience. AP: HP to check accessibility through field gates is ok for the fire engine.

  o   All food vendors do not require electricity, which is a huge benefit as electricity supply can be challenging.

  o   Craft: adding decorating canvas bags, which children can use for their other craft items.   

  o   Remote control races- still exploring this idea

  
  

• On target to meet Kings sponsor remit to 30 local properties agreeing to have Fete advertisement estate agent boards outside their homes.

• Gazebos are a challenge too. BID is not able to lend us any, we too will need to look for donations from families.

• Budget:

  o   2026 Expenses signed off £3,300 which was a 10% uplift on what was thought to be last year’s approved budget.

  o   Actual expenses signed off for 2025 £4383

  o   Actual spend in 2025 £3,439

  o   Request to uplift last year’s actual spend costs by 10%. The main reason for request is the increase costs for bins they have tripled in cost.

  All committee members present (except for Natalie Jolliffe) voted to agree to increasing the budget by £500 (rounding up the 10% figure) taking total expense to £3800.

  
  

• Silent Auction: AP1- Auction underway. Stall allocated to Ash class to man all day. Raised idea for silent auction to have a specific item that its funding, this angle tends to raise more money.

  
  

6.AOB

• PTA Debit card: The exec team have agreed, and NJ has started the process for the PTA to have a debit card. It’s to be used for PTA administrative purposes and pre agreed expenditure only. For example, subscriptions like Parent Kind, Drop Box and WIX. Currently two exec members need to sign off expenditure, a debit card will help improve admin efficiency.  AP:  NJ to review the PTA Financial Policy to include Debit card usage and procedure.

• Smart Phone policy updating for September in line with changes happening with the schools and school policy.

• After school PTA Events: To review the process for child pick up arrangements. PTA receives many emails on the day or even during the event informing us who will be collecting their child. Volunteers cannot have their phones on during the event so unable to receive this information. Idea is to update ticket sale page to include pick up arrangements for child. Also consider a PTA non smart phone for emergencies only used during the event.   

Signed by Chair

Axelle Joos de ter Beerst

09/06/2026