The Friends of AshleyAshley C of E Primary School PTA
The FOA updates
Half Term Newsletter
The latest news from the FOA.
The Friends of Ashley
Half Term News
Dear Parents, Carers and Teachers,
With the two-week half term break just around the corner, we hope you all enjoy some lovely time together! There’s plenty to look forward to when we’re back, so here’s a quick round-up from The Friends of Ashley (FOA), with dates for your diary and ways to lend a hand.
🎆 Fireworks on the Field: Thursday 5th November
Join us on the Ashley School field for fireworks, food and family fun! Gates open at 4:30pm, with the quiet display at 5pm and the main display at 6pm. The evening finishes at 6:30pm.
Tickets are £8.50 per person, with under-2s free, and have now gone on sale to the wider public. If you’re planning to come but haven’t bought your tickets yet, don’t delay! The event usually sells out in advance and is now on public sale.
Could you lend a hand? From token presales to the prize table, bar and entrance, our volunteers make the evening possible. Please check the rota for your year group and choose a slot using the volunteer sign-up links. Thank you!
🎄 Christmas Fayre: Saturday 5th December
Save the date for our festive get-together at Ashley School!
Rachel Briscoe (Squirrel and Otter) and Sophie Glass (Fox) are gathering helpers for the Fun Zone, Craft Room, Café, Photo Booth, Tombola, Entrance & Tokens and Glitter Tattoos. You can help in any area, bring a friend and no experience is needed.
A little Christmas magic is coming to Ashley during the school day, with our parent and carer volunteers helping to make it happen. Please keep it a surprise for the children!
👕 Pre-loved Uniform: Friday 6th November
Our next sale is 3:25pm to 3:45pm in the school playground, subject to weather. Coats and new-logo items are £3, with all other items £1. Card payments only, please.
Pick up a bargain, give uniform a second life and support the school. For more information, head over to uniform information and requests.
💚 £1,457 raised so far!
Thanks to your support, we’ve raised £1,457 this school year through uniform sales, Happy Bags and Art Projects for Schools. That’s a lovely start towards our £25,000 target!
Forgotten an event date or looking for a volunteer link? Our website brings together what’s on, tickets, volunteering, pre-loved uniform, newsletters and fundraising updates.
Thank you for everything you do to support our school community.
Warmest wishes,
The FOA Team
🎅 Santa’s Grotto: Monday 14th December
A little Christmas magic is coming to Ashley during the school day, with our parent and carer volunteers helping to make it happen. Please keep it a surprise for the children!
👕 Pre-loved Uniform: Friday 6th November
Our next sale is 3:25pm to 3:45pm in the school playground, subject to weather. Coats and new-logo items are £3, with all other items £1. Card payments only, please.
Pick up a bargain, give uniform a second life and support the school. For more information, head over to uniform information and requests.
💚 £1,457 raised so far!
Thanks to your support, we’ve raised £1,457 this school year through uniform sales, Happy Bags and Art Projects for Schools. That’s a lovely start towards our £25,000 target!
Forgotten an event date or looking for a volunteer link? Our website brings together what’s on, tickets, volunteering, pre-loved uniform, newsletters and fundraising updates.
Thank you for everything you do to support our school community.
Warmest wishes,
The FOA Team
Previous newsletters
From the archive
Earlier updates from The FOA. Open a newsletter to read it in full.
The Friends of Ashley
Autumn Term News & Fireworks Tickets
Dear Parents, Carers and Teachers,
Last year, the incredible generosity of Ashley families helped us raise a phenomenal £25,730. That hard work is about to pay off in the best possible way: our brand-new KS1 playground equipment is scheduled to be installed over the October half term!
That certainly sets the bar high, but can we beat it together this year? Here is a quick look at what is coming up this term, key dates for your diary and easy ways to get involved.
👥 The Friends of Ashley (FOA) Committee 2026/27
Every parent, carer and teacher at Ashley is automatically a member of The FOA. You do not need an official title to help out, but our confirmed committee for this year is:
Co-Chairs: Helen Platt & Sarah Parish
Co-Treasurers: Clare Birks & Darren Malone
Co-Comms: Nick Caplan & Cristy Amponsah
Fundraising Initiatives Lead: Lizzie Grillo
Co-Secretary:Vacant (Could this be you?)
♥️ A Heartfelt Thank You to Sarah and Katy
At the AGM, we said an emotional farewell to Katy Furber and Sarah Parker, who have officially stepped down at Co-Comms and Co-Secretary after collectively dedicating almost 10 years of service to The FOA Committee!
Between coordinating major events, raising vital funds and championing our school community year after year, their contribution has made an enormous, lasting impact on Ashley and our children.
We want to extend our deepest gratitude for their extraordinary hard work, energy and dedication. They leave very big shoes to fill and will be hugely missed on the committee!
🌟 Committee & Volunteer Shout-Outs: Could you be our Co-Secretary?
A manageable, flexible way to help with agendas and meeting minutes behind the scenes. Drop us a line at thefriendsofashley@gmail.com if you would like to know more or share the role with a friend.
Christmas Fayre: A huge thank you to Rachel Briscoe and Sophie Glass for stepping forward to lead this year's event!
Fireworks 2027: If you are interested in running next year's fireworks, please contact Helen Platt to shadow this year's event and learn the ropes with zero pressure.
☕ Reception Welcome Tea: Saturday 3rd October on the School Field
A warm welcome to our new Ashley families! Join us on Saturday 3rd October to meet other parents and learn more about The FOA.
Timings: 1pm - 2:30pm
🎨 IQ Cards Christmas Project (October to December)
Children can design their own Christmas cards and gifts to raise money for The FOA!
Design Sheets: Sent home in bags by Friday 2nd October (completed either in class or as homework; your teacher will confirm).
Return Deadline: Return home-completed artwork to school by Wednesday 14th October.
Design Tips: Draw on the blank side only (do not photocopy; each sheet has a unique code). Fill the space with bold, bright colours (paint, felt-tips and colouring pencils work best). Avoid glitter, metallic pens, plain lead pencil or stuck-on items.
Ordering: Personalised order forms will be sent home once designs are processed for online ordering and payment. Orders will arrive at school in early December.
🎆 Fireworks on the Field: Thursday 5th November
Join us for our annual spectacular evening of fireworks, food and fun on the school field!
Timings: 16:30 to 18:30 (Quiet display at 17:00; Main display at 18:00)
Tickets: £8.50 per person (under 2 years free). Online ticket link will be shared shortly.
Attractions: Fairground, food stalls and mulled wine!
Details: See the attached poster for full details.
Lead: Helen Platt
🎄 Christmas Fayre: Saturday 5th December
Save the date for our biggest winter celebration! Rachel Briscoe and Sophie Glass will share details soon regarding class stalls, donations and volunteer sign-ups.
📱 The Friends of Ashley website has been refreshed!
We have updated our online home at The Friends of Ashley to make it easier for Ashley families to find what they need. The refreshed site brings together upcoming events, uniform information, opportunities to get involved and community notices in one simple, welcoming place. Take a look!
🔗 Useful Links & Contacts
The FOA General Enquiries: thefriendsofashley@gmail.com
🌟 Committee & Volunteer Shout-Outs: Could you be our Co-Secretary?
A manageable, flexible way to help with agendas and meeting minutes behind the scenes. Drop us a line at thefriendsofashley@gmail.com if you would like to know more or share the role with a friend.
Christmas Fayre: A huge thank you to Rachel Briscoe and Sophie Glass for stepping forward to lead this year's event!
Fireworks 2027: If you are interested in running next year's fireworks, please contact Helen Platt to shadow this year's event and learn the ropes with zero pressure.
☕ Reception Welcome Tea: Saturday 3rd October on the School Field
A warm welcome to our new Ashley families! Join us on Saturday 3rd October to meet other parents and learn more about The FOA.
Timings: 1pm - 2:30pm
🎨 IQ Cards Christmas Project (October to December)
Children can design their own Christmas cards and gifts to raise money for The FOA!
Design Sheets: Sent home in bags by Friday 2nd October (completed either in class or as homework; your teacher will confirm).
Return Deadline: Return home-completed artwork to school by Wednesday 14th October.
Design Tips: Draw on the blank side only (do not photocopy; each sheet has a unique code). Fill the space with bold, bright colours (paint, felt-tips and colouring pencils work best). Avoid glitter, metallic pens, plain lead pencil or stuck-on items.
Ordering: Personalised order forms will be sent home once designs are processed for online ordering and payment. Orders will arrive at school in early December.
🎆 Fireworks on the Field: Thursday 5th November
Join us for our annual spectacular evening of fireworks, food and fun on the school field!
Timings: 16:30 to 18:30 (Quiet display at 17:00; Main display at 18:00)
Tickets: £8.50 per person (under 2 years free). Online ticket link will be shared shortly.
Attractions: Fairground, food stalls and mulled wine!
Details: See the attached poster for full details.
Lead: Helen Platt
🎄 Christmas Fayre: Saturday 5th December
Save the date for our biggest winter celebration! Rachel Briscoe and Sophie Glass will share details soon regarding class stalls, donations and volunteer sign-ups.
📱 The Friends of Ashley website has been refreshed!
We have updated our online home at The Friends of Ashley to make it easier for Ashley families to find what they need. The refreshed site brings together upcoming events, uniform information, opportunities to get involved and community notices in one simple, welcoming place. Take a look!
🔗 Useful Links & Contacts
The FOA General Enquiries: thefriendsofashley@gmail.com
Welcome back! We hope you’ve all had a wonderful summer and are feeling refreshed, rested and ready for another brilliant year at Ashley.
As the new school year gets underway, we thought it was the perfect time to say a big hello from The Friends of Ashley (FOA) Committee, give a little reminder about who we are and what we do, and, of course, get some important dates firmly into your diaries.
The FOA is our school PTA, and it plays a huge part in bringing our community together, supporting the school and creating those extra special experiences and opportunities for our children.
After such an incredible year last year - including smashing our £21,000 playground fundraising target and raising an amazing £25,730, we’re feeling very excited about what we can achieve together this year.
So, whether you’re a long-standing supporter of The FOA or you're completely new to the world of school fundraising and PTAs, read on! 👇
🤝 The Friends of Ashley: Your School PTA
At Ashley, every parent, carer and teacher is considered a member of the PTA, also known as The Friends of Ashley or The FOA. The FOA is supported and overseen by a Committee of parent volunteers, who are elected at our Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The Committee helps to organise fundraising, coordinate events, oversee The FOA's finances and make decisions about how our funds can best support the school and our children.
But here's the important bit… You don't have to be on the Committee to be part of The FOA! 🎉
There are lots of ways to get involved, and volunteers are always needed. You might help out at an event, lend a hand with a pre-loved uniform, share an idea, volunteer for an hour or two at one of the events - or even take charge of one of our seasonal events such as The Christmas Fayre or Summer fete. Remember, just coming along and showing your support really makes a difference.
Call for Event Leads: We are still looking for leads to run the Christmas Fayre, Quiz Night, Y3 & Y4 Disco, Summer Fete & Big Picnic. Please contact us for more info or come along to the AGM
The FOA works best when it's a genuine team effort across the whole school community, and the more people who get involved, the more opportunities we can create for our children.
If you have any ideas or questions, constructive feedback or simply keen to understand more… read on…
Our Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 16th September at 7:30pm at the school.
The AGM is an important opportunity to find out more about what The FOA does, hear about our plans for the year ahead, look at our finances and, most importantly, have your say. We'll also be voting in the new FOA Committee for 2026/27 - please find the proposed committee attached.
Everyone is welcome - but we'd really appreciate at least one parent or carer from each class attending, so that every class, or at least, year group has a voice and is represented as we look ahead to another exciting year. Your attendance is very much valued by staff and The FOA.
📅 Autumn Term: Save the Dates!
We've already got some exciting things in the calendar, so get those diaries out and save these dates - please find attached our calendar which we update at the start of every Term and Half Term. We will also display this on the notice board outside the school gate.
👕 Pre-loved Uniform Sales, 3.25pm, School Playground
Friday 2nd October
Friday 6th November
Friday 4th December
Subject to weather conditions. New logo items and coats: £3. All other items: £1 each. Cash or card accepted
It's a brilliant opportunity to pick up good-quality school uniform at a fraction of the cost, while also giving perfectly usable uniform a second life and raising valuable funds for The FOA.
For any pre-loved uniform support or enquiries throughout the year, please email: foapreloveduniform@gmail.com
☕ Reception Welcome Tea: Saturday 3rd October
A huge Ashley welcome to all our new Reception families! 💙
We'll be holding our Reception Welcome Tea on Saturday 3rd October, giving our newest Ashley parents and carers the chance to meet one another, find out a little more about The FOA and enjoy a relaxed get-together. It's a lovely way to start building those all-important school friendships and connections, because navigating the first year of school is definitely easier when you've got some familiar faces around you!
For reception classes - more information from organisers will be shared with timings soon
🎆 Fireworks! Thursday 5th November
And finally... FIREWORKS! 🎆
Save the date for Thursday 5th November for what we hope will once again be a spectacular Ashley evening. It's always one of the big highlights of the school calendar, and one of the largest fundraisers for our school. The event brings together families over the whole Walton On Thames Community for an evening of excitement, sparkles and, of course, plenty of oohs and aahs!
This year the event will take place after school hours - 2 displays as usual. Previous school parents/carers had communication last school about the logistics around this from the Headteacher, Mrs Ratcliff, as well as the reasoning. We understand that there will be disruption to your usual Thursday, but also, a very fun evening. So for now, please do save the date in your calendar and we will share more information over the forthcoming weeks about how you can get involved and get tickets.
More information will follow, so keep your eyes peeled.
So here’s to another brilliant year!
With our warmest wishes,
The FOA Team
📢 AGM: Come Along & Have Your Say!
Our Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 16th September at 7:30pm at the school.
The AGM is an important opportunity to find out more about what The FOA does, hear about our plans for the year ahead, look at our finances and, most importantly, have your say. We'll also be voting in the new FOA Committee for 2026/27 - please find the proposed committee attached.
Everyone is welcome - but we'd really appreciate at least one parent or carer from each class attending, so that every class, or at least, year group has a voice and is represented as we look ahead to another exciting year. Your attendance is very much valued by staff and The FOA.
📅 Autumn Term: Save the Dates!
We've already got some exciting things in the calendar, so get those diaries out and save these dates - please find attached our calendar which we update at the start of every Term and Half Term. We will also display this on the notice board outside the school gate.
👕 Pre-loved Uniform Sales, 3.25pm, School Playground
Friday 2nd October
Friday 6th November
Friday 4th December
Subject to weather conditions. New logo items and coats: £3. All other items: £1 each. Cash or card accepted
It's a brilliant opportunity to pick up good-quality school uniform at a fraction of the cost, while also giving perfectly usable uniform a second life and raising valuable funds for The FOA.
For any pre-loved uniform support or enquiries throughout the year, please email: foapreloveduniform@gmail.com
☕ Reception Welcome Tea: Saturday 3rd October
A huge Ashley welcome to all our new Reception families! 💙
We'll be holding our Reception Welcome Tea on Saturday 3rd October, giving our newest Ashley parents and carers the chance to meet one another, find out a little more about The FOA and enjoy a relaxed get-together. It's a lovely way to start building those all-important school friendships and connections, because navigating the first year of school is definitely easier when you've got some familiar faces around you!
For reception classes - more information from organisers will be shared with timings soon
🎆 Fireworks! Thursday 5th November
And finally... FIREWORKS! 🎆
Save the date for Thursday 5th November for what we hope will once again be a spectacular Ashley evening. It's always one of the big highlights of the school calendar, and one of the largest fundraisers for our school. The event brings together families over the whole Walton On Thames Community for an evening of excitement, sparkles and, of course, plenty of oohs and aahs!
This year the event will take place after school hours - 2 displays as usual. Previous school parents/carers had communication last school about the logistics around this from the Headteacher, Mrs Ratcliff, as well as the reasoning. We understand that there will be disruption to your usual Thursday, but also, a very fun evening. So for now, please do save the date in your calendar and we will share more information over the forthcoming weeks about how you can get involved and get tickets.
More information will follow, so keep your eyes peeled.
The Friends of Ashley