The Woodford School Lusaka Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is a formal body that is composed of parents, teachers and staff that is intended to facilitate parental participation in a school. Its role is to encourage closer links between home and school.

Our PTA raises funds for educational field trips and holds several fundraising events and exercises throughout the year. It also has a social function too. The various social and sporting events and activities organised by PTA provide opportunities for parents, staff and pupils to get together.

All parents who have a child enrolled at the respective school and all academic staff working for the school are automatically members of the PTA.

PTA Constitution

Please click here to download a copy of the Woodford School Lusaka PTA Constitution.

WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE WOODFORD SCHOOL LUSAKA PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION?

The PTA works closely with the school community and administration to promote and support the school. The actual activities of the Association are listed below:

  • Supporting learning through local and international educational field trips. This includes scheduled annual excursions by various grades as well as tours by School Clubs to foreign countries
  • Organising social events that bring the school community together, e.g. games.
  • Fundraising activities that benefit the pupils and teachers of Woodford School Lusaka.
  • Assisting Families through the sponsorship of needy children under the PTA Benevolent Fund.
  • Promoting Community Service by funding child-centred visits to less privileged and vulnerable members of our society.
  • Playing an important role in helping parents get to know each other and enhance a sense of community.
  • Rewarding child performance as requested by the Head of School and
  • Supporting teacher-centred effort as requested by the Head of School, for instance, contribution towards prizes for the best achieving teachers of the year.

WHAT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS DOES THE PTA USUALLY HOLD?

  • The Academic Fundraising Exercising in Term I, e.g. Spell –a-thon for this year.
  • One Civilian Day each Term
  • Family Fun Fair in Term III
  • Other fundraising events and activities, including the Cultural Day

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PTA? 

  • Provision of buses to transport pupils on educational tours and field trips
    • Purchase of brand new Mitsubishi Rosa bus via in 2015.
    • Additional purchase of the 44-seater TATA Ultra Bus in 2021.
    •  Near future plans include the replacement of the Mitsubishi Rosa with a newer model.
  • Successful annual fundraising events
  • Sponsorship of learners in need through the PTA Benevolent Fund.
  • Financial support for annual Educational Tours for Grades 6 and 7:
    • Grade 6 to Treetops Wildlife Camp in Kafue National Park
    • Grade 7 to Livingstone/Victoria Falls Region
  • Financial support to Club members travelling on foreign trips, which include:
    • World Scholar’s Cup team to the Tournament of Champions held in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, in Nov 2022
    • World Scholar’s Cup team to the Global Round held in Barcelona, Spain, in June 2018
    • Girl Guides WINGS 2020 Camp Charnwood, UK, August 2020
    • World Scholar’s Cup team to the Global Round held in Barcelona, Spain, in June 2018
    •  World Scholar’s Cup team to the Global Round held in Beijing, China in June 2019
    • World Scholar’s Cup team to the Global Round held in Durban, South Africa, in October 2019
    •  
  • Support for the annual Prizegiving ceremony, and the Grade 7 Graduation Luncheon

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST EACH FAMILY?

There are annual fees payable by each member family, and the amounts of contribution are set at the Annual General Meeting.

  • Membership Fees are payable termly and currently set at K150.00 per family.
  • Bus Fund is currently set at K400.00 per family divided into three terms. This goes towards payments of leases as well as maintenance and insurance of the buses and trailers.
  • Benevolent Fund Contribution is levied at K100 per child, per Term

WHAT DO MEMBERS DELIBERATE ON AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING?

The PTA Annual General Meeting (AGM) is normally held each year towards the end of February. Notice of the Annual General Meeting is sent to parents seven clear days before the actual day.

  • Minutes of the preceding year’s Annual General Meeting
  • Chairperson’s Report to members
  • Benevolent Fund Sub-committee Report
  • Audited Accounts of the Association
  • Treasurer’s Report and Annual Budget for the coming year
  • Any other PTA Matters arising

ARE THERE OTHER MEETINGS HELD APART FROM THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING?

YES! THERE ARE OTHER MEETINGS HELD ACROSS THE YEAR

  • Extra-ordinary General and Special Task Meetings for selected parents are held when necessary.
  • The Executive Committee of the PTA meets once each month and whenever there are matters to discuss. The Executive Committee also holds special meetings to prepare for fundraising events and important meetings, such as the Annual General Meeting.
  • Parents Consultative Committee Meetings held to gain the views and input of parents and guardians on specific issues affecting the School community.

WHO GOVERNS THE WOODFORD SCHOOL LUSAKA PTA?

Responsibility for managing the affairs of the Woodford School Lusaka PTA falls in the hands of the Executive Committee. The committee is made up of parent and teacher representatives.

Parent members

  • Chairman
  • Vice-chairman
  • Treasurer
  • Vice-Treasurer
  • Two Committee Members

Teacher members

  • Head teacher acts as Secretary of the Association
  • Vice Secretary – Deputy Head teacher
  • Two teacher Representatives (representing teachers in the school)

Elections to the Executive Committee are held on during the Annual General Meeting. Parents elected to the Executive Committee can only serve for a maximum of two PTA years. Members of the teaching team serve a maximum of one year due to their Academic Work.

SO WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PTA AND THE SCHOOL OWNERS?

Woodford School Lusaka is owned and operated by Woodford School Lusaka Limited. Day to day management is in the hands of the Executive Management Team (EMT)), which reports to the company’s Board of Directors. The EMT is responsible for management functions such as budgeting and financial management, fees, employment and Human Resource functions, and strategic planning and control. The Head teacher is in charge of the Academic team and is supported by the Deputy Head and the Heads of Department.

Despite that, having a functioning and contributing PTA in a private school such as ours could have posed certain challenges in defining roles and responsibilities; we are very pleased that a positive working relationship has evolved between the school management over the years our PTA. Issues such as respective roles, responsibilities and, indeed, boundaries have been clarified.

The Board and Management of Woodford School Lusaka Limited understands how valuable it is for parents to become part of school life. The PTA encourages and supports the participation of all parents to share their experiences, knowledge and talents to help enrich the school’s environment for our children. In this regard, the Board and Executive Management Team (EMT) provide logistical support and facilitate the PTA’s work.

This ranges from the Secretarial duties carried out by the Head Teacher, all the way to the Financial Accounting and Reporting work for the PTA done by the School Accounts Department.