The Belvoir Challenge

The Friends of Harby School work hard all year round to support school activities and events, engage parents and families and to raise money for school.  Their support is so valuable and as a school we are grateful for all they do.

Over the academic years, the Friends of Harby School have organised:

·         Welcome party for new starters and their parents

·         Children designed Christmas Cards and mugs

·         Providing Christmas party food, gifts and a theatre production at school

·         The Belvoir Challenge

·         ‘Tea at 3’ in support of Sports Day

The main fundraising event is the Belvoir Challenge which takes an extraordinary amount of organisation, input and support from parents and the local community.  With the Friends of Harby School’s commitment to events like this, we are able to enrich the children’s curriculum and support resource development at school for the benefit of all pupils.  Importantly, the events they organise and are involved with encourage and develop strong school community links amongst parents and families.

The funds that they have raised in school have been used specifically to support:

·         The subsidisation of school trips and visits to minimise the contribution needed by parents and increase the opportunities that we can provide for pupils – this includes coach transportation which, as a small school is particularly expensive when transporting smaller classes and groups of children

·         Fully funding the Warning Zone visit for pupils to ensure they learn about risk and safety as they approach Secondary Education

·         Funding of library and museum loan books, artefacts and resources to support curriculum work in all classes – as a school we could not subscribe to this valuable service without the Friends of the School funds

·         Whole School Music Tuition for Year 5/6 to learn to play an instrument

·         Theatre productions and visits to enhance the experience of pupils – linked by staff to curriculum topics and lessons

·         Provision of singing tuition for pupils in Year 3 and 4 to take part in Vale Choir – increasing musical opportunities with pupils from other Vale schools

·         Purchasing tablets for the children to use in school to develop their access and use of Information Communication Technology across all subject areas

·         New resources to support the development of ICT in the Early Years

·         New resources to support the development of the outdoor area in Reception

·         New resources to support and enrich all curriculum areas