Parents Association

St John’s are fortunate to have a very active Parent Association (PA) that is an integral part of the school community. The PA typically raises £9,000 each year and this is used to fund equipment and resources for the benefit of the children and the school.

Through its events and activities, the PA provides opportunities for closer links between home and school to support the enrichment of our children’s learning, in a fun and sociable way that involves as many families as possible.

We’re very proud to have a wonderful community of pupils, families and teachers supporting our school and helping to make it such a fantastic learning environment.

What does the PA do?

We raise money for the school by holding fun events for both children and adults throughout the year. The events include:

We are always grateful for the help and support of parents and the school community in preparation for, and attendance at, events. For example, donations on non-uniform “bring a bottle” days for the tombola, volunteering to help sell ice creams as part of ‘Ice-cream Fridays’ or joining a committee to plan a particular event such as the Summer Fair. Without this support we would not be able to raise the funds we do.  Alcoholic bottle donations are always especially welcome, and please try and use Fair Trade ingredients on cake donations where possible and provide a list of allergens.

How is the Parents’ Association run?

It is run by a committee of parents who meet two to three times a term to plan and organise events. Any parent is welcome to join the committee and we are always in need of new members. Meetings are usually held at the school from 7pm, but we always understand if you need to leave early or arrive late. If you would like to attend the next PA meeting, please contact Emma, Charlotte or any of the PA using the details below.

How can you be involved?

We always welcome new and innovative ways to raise funds for the school. We understand that you may not be able to attend PA meetings but there are lots of other ways to support and get involved. Can you donate your time or expertise at one of our fundraising events? Do you know someone who has a local business who would be willing to donate a raffle prize, provide a discount, or help sponsor an event in return for advertising? Can your company provide Matched Funding for a donation towards the school?

Also, don’t forget to use Amazon Smile as the PA are a registered Charity (Charity reference number 1195966). Amazon donates 0.5% of purchases to our school (exclusions apply) so sign up at smile.amazon.co.uk.

In a similar fashion, the PA are also registered for Easy Fundraising which means over 4,000 shops and websites will now donate to us for FREE every time you use Easy Fundraising to shop with them. Go to http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk to register.

If you would like to be involved in any way, then please contact one of our committee members and he/she will be able to tell you what's going on or where help is needed. You can also join our very own PA Facebook group (search for St John’s Baldock PA), as well as reading our newsletter on Parentmail for details of upcoming events. Each class has its very own WhatsApp group, so we’re never short of ways to communicate with the school community.

How is the money spent?

Over the last few years, the Parents’ Association has undertaken a number of major projects and provided funding for a large metal outdoor PE equipment store, projector and sound system in the school hall; a modular stage system; a large variety of sports equipment including 3 outside table tennis tables; gardening equipment, outside picnic tables and benches plus replacing a large quantity of the reading books across the school. On completion of the school extension the PA funded the purchase of new furniture, including an interactive 75” touchscreen system and laptop for the new classroom.

In the past couple of years we have invested significantly in IT by funding the purchase of numerous desktop computers, laptops, laptop portable charging station, and tablets for use across all classes; a significant increase in Maths and English resources; a portable Mini PA system for the school choir; sensory based education equipment, Library decoration, and PE equipment.

We have also funded enrichment activities that are both fun and educational such as the class by Dance Africa for Black History Month. After the children missed out on so much during the Covid-19 pandemic, the PA treated the children to a Pantomime performance from a local touring company, as well as an outdoor Christmas Fair complete with Santa’s Grotto, snow machine and real reindeers!  

We continue to be busy raising money to help fund projects for the benefit of the children and the school. We invite you and your families to join us, enjoy the events and help support the Parents’ Association.

Who to contact:

Chair: Emma Houlder emjayh88@googlemail.com
Secretary: Charlotte Greenwood charlottegreenwood83@hotmail.co.uk)
Treasurer: Louisa Spencer (jamesandlouisa@hotmail.co.uk)

There are also a number of other parents who are on the committee as PA helpers.

The PA can be contacted via the school office or by emailing stjohnspabaldock@hotmail.com