Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Promoting our Harringay Schools' Summer Fairs

I've just returned from North Harringay School's enjoyable and quite lively Summer Fair. I knew it was on today, partly because I have a young Falkland Road niece in the Infants there, partly from one or two tastefully produced Winkworth sponsored boards up here on the South Ladder, partly from one or two responses to an earlier discussion about much less tasteful Hane boards for last Saturday's Summer Fair at SHIS. (Yes, the Martyn Gerrard board on Mattison Road for Sts Peter's & Gilda's SF next Saturday is just as tasteless though not as yellow.)

But the twenty-five events in HOL's EVENTS for today and tomorrow (spread across Haringey, Hampstead Heath and even City of London) do not include NHS Summer Fair. WHY NOT?

I've just checked for 'NHS Summer Fair' in the Discussion Forum. Of the first 10 posts to appear, 6 are by OAE re Hane's boards for SHIS SF; 1 is by OAE for NHS SF 2010; 3 others relate to NHS SF for 2009 & 2010.

So I checked the Forum for 'North Harringay School Summer Fair'. Of the first 5 posts to appear, 3 are for the 2010 NHS SF; 1 is from 2009; 1 relates to 'Finding Primary School Places' - a totally different and more 'my-child-centered discussion'.

Seems to me that this is the time and this is the place to carry on some useful discussion on how to advertise our schools' Summer Fairs profitably, ethically, tastefully - and, more generally, how the schools themselves, HOL and others should promote what the schools do, and how the community (both school and wider community) should contribute to the support of our local schools (and I hope we're including Chestnuts and St Marys of Hermitage Rd there) in an ongoing way, not just haphazardly every June.

If, as they say in some parts of the developing world, 'it takes a whole village to rear a child', shouldn't our local schools expect that to apply to a 'whole Harringay', a 'whole HOL', a 'whole Ladder & Gardens' and (especially) a 'whole Main Street of community-reliant Traders'. There will come a time soon when our self-interested Estate Agents will just get fed-up with being picked off by one school or another for a Grand or £1200 and decide the game isn't worth the candle. To his credit, Steve Hatch of Castles has hinted at a better way several times.

Tags for Forum Posts: crouch end, harringay schools, promoting school summer fairs, supporting local schools

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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on June 25, 2011 at 20:38

I know that schools in Muswell HIll regularly pull in £10K from their summer fairs, SHSs and NHS would be happy with £3K each including the estate agent's contribution. I think this form of fundraising should be banned. It exacerbates differences between schools with wealthy parents and those without.

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Permalink Reply by Pip on June 26, 2011 at 19:55

You'd ban fundraising by all state school PTAs (which allows them to buy equipment children would otherwise not have/enhance the school) because some of them raise more money than others? Really?

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Permalink Reply by JulieB on June 25, 2011 at 20:48

Chestnuts Summer Fair is a bit later on the 16th July, 12 - 4pm - everyone very, very welcome. I have added this as an event in the events section.

We have formed a relatively new PSA at Chestnuts (I am co-Chair) and we're finding our feet in terms of fundraising. So any ideas are welcome.

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Permalink Reply by Maddy on June 25, 2011 at 23:29

Highgate Wood school Madfest - that's Music/Arts/Dance festival plus stalls, food and raffle, is on Sat 9th July from noon onwards. (I know it's not strictly "local" but local children do go there - my son is one).

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Permalink Reply by Angela on June 26, 2011 at 21:22

I think we should set up a group (or whatever it's called on here) to discuss PTA issues

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Permalink Reply by Angela on June 27, 2011 at 19:10

JulieB, I would advise joining the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTA) as a first step. Membership is approx. £100 per year, they have lots of useful information on the website plus they provide a certain amount of insurance cover for members.

I will also try to set up a PSA discussion group on here so that we can swap ideas, info etc. We could also arrange a meet up.

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Permalink Reply by JulieB on June 27, 2011 at 19:47

I love the idea of a PTA group, it would be especially helpful to me. So please include/invite me if a group is set up on here.

We have joined the NCPTA which we found invaluable when drawing up our constitution and doing all the admin stuff. Also I took my family on a very lovely day out at Lego land yesterday, half price due to a voucher offer on the localpta website.

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Permalink Reply by Tessa on July 25, 2011 at 15:02

We might be able to use the NCPTA website - it looks like we could create networks of PTA's on the "local" section - I'm not sure how - I haven't used the site before & need to explore properly! (I'm chairing South Harringay Infants PSA next year so it's on my list!) A few PSA active South Harringay parents are having an end of term drink in the pub on weds - Julie & Angela I will add you as connections - sorry it's short notice but do come along if you like - if you haven't already escaped London! Maybe we can do something more organised across the schools next term.

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Permalink Reply by JulieB on July 25, 2011 at 17:14

Thanks Tessa, I quite like the local PTA site. I use the file storage space and have been to Legoland with their voucher. I'll also have a look for the local connections section. Thank you for the invite I'll try to get along on Weds, just depends on when my partner gets home from work.

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Permalink Reply by JD on June 28, 2011 at 13:12

Hi great idea to promote our local schools and their fundraising events via the forum, particularly when most of the schools listed on this discussion struggle to raise money and are all pretty hard up.

Stroud Green Primary School & Children's Centre's Summer Fair is this Saturday, 12-3 and while the school itself is not in Harringay, it is in the same borough & quite a number of children from The Ladder go. Also the school's children's Centre Staff run the wonderful Jamboree in Finsbury Park.

Stroud Green also benefits from Estate Agent sponsorship & while I'm not so keen on all the boards and free advertising the estate agents get I'm happy to display one if it means the school gets some much needed money. It is very hard to raise funds for school in this area as many of you are aware so we all do what we can. Would be interested to hear other people's ideas.