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Welcome to the Friends of Newcroft page!

We realise it might be strange and a little nerve-wracking starting at a new school as there can often be many questions to ask. This booklet aims to provide you with information about the Friends of Newcroft which forms a major part of school life.

If you have any questions, please contact one of the Committee Members, including Mrs Dickinson in the school office.

Why do we have the Parents Friends of Newcroft Group?

We are fortunate, at our school, to have a Parents Group that is, and has been for a long time, an integral part of the school community. In its time, the Friends of Newcroft group have raised thousands of pounds, which has been spent on equipment and resources to enhance our children’s learning opportunities at school.

Friends of Newcroft aim to bring together staff, parents, pupils and friends, socially, in support of the school and as extra Friends of Newcroft volunteers come on board we are able to have more fun, run more events and of course raise more money.

The Friends of Newcroft group is extremely conscious of the diversity of our school and we try very hard when organising and planning events to respect this. Many events, such as School Discos and Crafts are run with the overarching aim of enabling the children to ‘have a good time’ as a way of thanking families for their continued support of the school.

Getting Involved

There are lots of ways you can help and support the children through the Friends of Newcroft.

Offering to help before events or at other times during the year is so valuable. It doesn’t matter if you can’t help on a regular basis or even if you cannot come into school. There are always jobs that can be done from home if you have half an hour to spare e.g. wrapping gifts, preparing raffle tickets etc. We really couldn’t achieve what we do without the ‘behind the scenes’ help we receive.

You can also help us by letting us know if you have any contacts or skills we could use; everything is potentially valuable to us.

How we Raise Money

Like most School Parent Associations, the majority of our funds are raised through the events that we run. Some of our most popular events are:

• Mothers’ Day /Fathers’ Day Secret Room
• School Discos for the children, termly
• Cake Stalls
• The Christmas and Summer Fair for everyone
• Bingo nights for the whole family
• Refreshments at School events

There is often something going on! We always try to respond to the children’s requests; it is great to see them having fun at the events or enjoying using a piece of equipment the Friends of Newcroft have donated.

You can help by donating time, money, items for sale, raffle prizes or offers of services and skills.

How the Money is Spent

The Friends of Newcroft’ funds are spent on the extras the school budget cannot provide, thus making the children’s learning experiences so much more fulfilling and exciting.

Often, Mr Smythe and Mrs Hallam will have a ‘wish list’ of items the school would like the Friends of Newcroft to consider funding. Sometimes this will be as a result of the children’s requests. At other times it will be for resources to improve a particular area of the curriculum or school environment. 

The Friends of Newcroft funds are not generally spent on improving the fabric of the school as this is the responsibility of the Academy Trust. Friends of Newcroft commit to spending money on things benefiting the whole school. 

Getting Information to You

Communication will normally be sent to you through letters, posters, on the school app (Weduc) and on the school website. This includes information on forthcoming events and dates and requests for assistance when planning large events. 

You can also find Friends of Newcroft information on the ‘Parents’ page of the school website www.newcroftprimaryacademy.co.uk  or on the school’s twitter feed.

The Friends notice board is particularly important. Please make sure to check it regularly. 

Role of the Committee

The Friends of Newcroft Committee consists of four main officers; Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. We also have a growing number of helpful parents and grandparents.

The Committee meet on a regular basis, usually once every half term. These are often held on a Friday morning after school drop off, although smaller working groups meet as necessary when planning larger events.

If you are interested in giving some time to the Friends of Newcroft, please do not hesitate to contact a Committee Member, or ask at the school office. Everyone is very friendly.

Committee Members Contact Details

Chair        Sarah Hattersley hattersleyarchitects@hotmail.co.uk        
Vice Chair    Sophie Smith
Secretary    Susanne Earl
Treasurer    Rebecca Summers    r-summers7@sky.com    

Over the years the Friends of Newcroft have raised nearly £100,000. Some of the things this has been spent on include:

• School Netball Strip 
• Forest School Classroom 
• Cycle Area/Store 
• Chicken House 
• Hall Curtains 
• Music Stands 
• Adventure Playground 
• 4+ Play Equipment and Safety Area 
• Library furniture and rug 
• Top Playground equipment 
• Fitted Kitchen for the cookery room 
• Electric Whiteboards
• School Hall Extension
• Computers/Laptops
• Text Books                                    

We also aim to donate £1000 towards the school library and £1000 towards IT equipment annually.

On behalf of all of the children at our school, we would like to thank you for your invaluable support in helping to enrich their experiences and make their time in school so enjoyable.

Please feel free to speak to any of the Friends about how you could get involved.
 

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