What does the PA do?

The Downley School Parents Association contributes towards many of the items the children benefit from on a day-to-day basis.  The PA raise a fantastic amount of money each year. They have been supporting the school by funding the upgrade of interactive boards within the classrooms. It is wonderful to walk into the playground and actually see how money has previously been spent in the external spaces. 

 In the last 10 years they have also contributed towards: 

• Modernising the school's ICT provision
• Adventure Playground
• Nature Area
• Sandpits, Sunshades and Early Years Writing Hut
• Notebook PCs, laptops for use with the interactive whiteboards, digital cameras, interactive handsets and hall projector
• Parentmail (e-communication with parents/carers)
• Various art, music and theatrical activities in school
• Playground markings
• EYFS outdoor learning space

PA Committee Meetings 

Please contact the PA if you wish to attend a committee meeting so that we know how many people to expect.

Meetings are held at The Downley School unless otherwise indicated in the list below:

• TBD January at 8pm
• TBD February at 8pm
• TBD March at 8pm
• TBD April at 8pm
• TBD May at 8pm
• TBD June at 8pm
• TBD July at 8pm
• TBD September at 8pm

Recent fundraising events run by the PA include:-

• Christmas fayre - a lovely start to the Christmas season Click here to see how much we raised!
• EYFS parents/carers Fish and Chip supper including demonstration of new tablets
• Summer fayre - an amazing success despite the unpredictable weather
• Sponsored bounce by Key Stage 1 children
• Film clubs for KS1 and KS2 children after school
• Reduced tickets to The Pantomime at The Wycombe Swan
• Family Photo Sessions
• Quiz night for parents/carers
• Tea-towels designed by children at TDS (sold out!)

Please support our other fundraising initiatives:

• Great value-for-money books via School Link and Puffin Club (Links to external websites)
• Arts and Crafts at Yellow Moon order via book bags when catalogues come out
• Log onto your Internet shopping sites via http://www.thegivingmachine.co.uk/ (Links to external website) - provides a small percentage back to the PA
• Clothing and sticky labels via Easy2Name
• Sponsored Skipping, bouncing, circuits and Summer Readathons
• The Downley School children's Christmas Cards, Stickers and Wapping paperl art !

How can I help?

Every parent/carer of a child who attends The Downley School is automatically a member of the Parents Association.  There is an event and fundraising committee, consisting of a bunch of friendly parents/carers, who meet once a month. We would warmly welcome any new parents, carers or grandparents and their ideas to come and join us.  We are also looking for parents/ carers from all school years to act as a point of contact for each class, so that every parent knows an active PA member.  Contact TheDownleySchoolPA@hotmail.co.uk for more information.

If you are able to help us with ad hoc projects and events but feel you cannot commit to attending regular meetings, please feel free to sign-up as a "Friend of the PA" via TheDownleySchoolPA@hotmail.co.uk.  We have lots of tasks which we always appreciate help with, as little as an hour of your time can really make a difference.  Tasks range from helping set up or run events (some during the school day such as Christmas parties or sponsored events, others in the evening/weekends  such as Fayres, quiz/music events) to wrapping gifts, preparing mailshots to parents/carers (catalogues, raffle tickets) gathering gifts/prizes for raffles, administering/distributing competitions or purchases etc.  Any and all assistance gratefully received.

• And finally, if you are a taxpayer please don't forget to Gift Aid any donations to the School - the tax can be claimed back at no cost to yourself