Our Patch Spring 2018 Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush | Page 7
TALKING
HEADS
OUR PATCH SPRING 2018
Pupils from St Peter’s CofE Primary,
plus left: John Horton and Karen
Frazer, and right: Imogen Lavelle
BANK OF PARENT POWER
T
With school budgets under pressure it’s parents who are stepping up.
Headteachers Karen Frazer, of St Peter’s in Hammersmith, and Imogen
Lavelle, of The Good Shepherd in Shepherds Bush, share their views
he new-look playground at
St Peter’s CofE Primary is a
good example of the growing
importance of parents
fundraising efforts. Karen –
who has been headteacher at
the school in St Peter’s Road for almost
three years and overseen its Ofsted rating
climbing from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’ –
explained: “The cost is around £65,000,
and as we don’t have that, we rely on
support from parents, and from local
businesses such as Horton and Garton,
who have been very generous.” Parent
funding is crucial for the project to
succeed and one of the main fundraising
events is a big auction on March 22.
Is there no official funding stream
for something basic like playground
equipment?
“I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that,”
Karen said. “We also need new fencing
around the playground. Parents are
more willing to fundraise for things
that their children will use.
“Parents’ contributions are important
because you don’t know what will
happen to budgets in future,” said Karen
who has been in teaching for 20 years.
“If you want something extra, you do
rely on parents.
“Budgets get cut, but things don’t get
any less expensive. You reach a certain
standard at the school, and you don’t
want that to fall. In a way, you can
almost never raise enough; it always
comes back to the children.”
The Good Shepherd has its own
financial challenges. Imogen’s budget
has taken a real-terms cut of £130,000
over the past two years.
So she and her governing body have
had to think of imaginative ways to cut
costs while retaining the same breadth
of education for their 247 pupils.
“We had to look at drama, music,
French, art, cooking – which are all
additional costs,” said Imogen. “They
all had to be trimmed back. All local
headteachers are waiting to hear what
the government’s new funding formula
will mean. So far, parents here haven’t
had to dig into their pockets to provide
books and stationery like some other
schools – thank goodness.”
Imogen, who has led the Gayford
Road Catholic primary for the past three
years, said another source of funding
to improve the school facilities came
from a new PTA called the Friends
of Good Shepherd. “We’ve started to
engage past as well as current pupils
and parents of the school.” The Friends
organise various events to raise funds
including seasonal fairs, a bingo night,
a school disco and a very popular Spring
Ball, supported by Horton and Garton.
Money raised will help to equip a
classroom dedicated to the arts.
“The whole school community
is working together to protect and
enhance The Good Shepherd. Our
parents are very committed and view it
as a second home for their children,”
Imogen added.