To avoid PTA raffle

Come on, you know full well it's deliberate. Either stand up and speak to the Head or continue to let them get away with it, it's up to you

Really? And you haven’t said anything?

I would not be able to not say something.

Send a letter to the head and copy in the PTA. You can make it anonymous and as if you were a parent who left early. Just say something like that you were surprised that the raffle was not drawn at the event and no results published and that this process needs to change in order to avoid the impression that it is not being carried out fairly and in accordance with the relevant rules. Add that failure to change is likely to lead to a reluctance within the school community to support both the raffles and any other fund raising events.

A school event with no members of staff present, you say? 🤔

Past PTA chair of several years standing and that is OUTRAGEOUS.

We used to be so worried about avoiding any accusations of favouritism or "fixing" any raffles, everything was always done in public, we used an old fashioned tumble tombola thing to draw the tickets, adults drew the prizes not children.

We never "divided the spoils" because that's not what a PTA is about! We bought tickets as other parents did and if any of us won a prize, we did so fair and square. This needs to be raised with the Chair, or the headteacher.

It's not potentially fraudulent.

If what the OP says is true, it is fraudulent.

Its fraudulent, nothing more, nothing less.
I would be making a complaint to the police, never mind the head teacher!!

Competition and Markets Authority is a different thing - nothing to do with gambling - it's to prevent consumers from unfair practices, such as monopolies that diminish choice.

If you don't want to name yourself, send an unsigned letter to the head. At least they will be able to keep an eye on the situation. I don't think I could keep my mouth shut about that one, and I'm usually one who very much keeps my nose out of everything. I certainly wouldn't be contributing to the raffle again.

This. I’m horrified. I’ve been on PTAs for a long time as a child of a PTA treasurer, a staff member and a parent. It’s usually their kids missing out rather than getting any perks.

I think there’s a competition and markets authority which has strict guidelines for this type of thing

send a complaint to the head

fucking hell, that’s abysmal

A less contentious way of solving this going forward would be to email the PTA chair and copy the Head / raise at the next AGM and say:

I think it is important that going forward there is more visibility over the raffle draws and the winners. My understanding is that at most schools the draw is done in public during the event and is drawn by a member of staff or random parents. Also many schools publish the names of the major prize winners. I think we should adopt this going forward as otherwise it opens the PTA up to criticism that too many committee members win prizes (which could well be the case as they may buy more tickets).

So unfair. I hate it when school don’t announce the winners in the newsletter! Sometimes it’s my last couple of pounds that I’ve spent to support the school and keep my kids happy and you don’t even find out who won.

If it’s difficult to approach the PTA (I would struggle with the conflict) then I would suggest to the office staff / HT that they start publishing the winners with a nudge nudge, wink wink ‘it might help parents to see who is winning.’ kind of comment, a bit cowardly but would hopefully resolve the problem as surely they would be too embarrassed to see their names published multiple times?

If that's true then not only do I think badly if them but I think badly of you for keeping quiet about it. You're condoning fraud.

I wouldn't describe a PTA that is involved in fraud as "fabulous".

That's a really horrible thing to do and I hope someone finds out.

You need to complain to the head ask to be anonymous.

That's awful and I'd complain to the head. They clearly can't be in charge of drawing the raffle.

That's appalling. I have never heard of anything like that. I would tell the head tbh.

Agree when I was on the PTA I bent over backwards to ensure there was no bias. I also thought you meant PTA members taking home any uneaten cakes for free (which is fair enough tbh).

Your later posts suggests this happens frequently. Even if it's prizes sourced by the PTA it's immoral and illegal. Are the raffle tickets sold ahead (as in, sent home in book bags etc)? If so it's governed by the lottery commission and answerable to it. You MUST tell the HT.

At the very least I’d be telling the PTA that this year they simply must have the names and pictures of the winners with their amazing hampers in the school newsletter so everyone can see and buy prizes for the next event…

This is actually potentially fraudulent. I think you should mention it, if needs be anonymously, to your head teacher. If another parent reported it to Ofsted I think they might take this quite seriously.

If that is true it is disgraceful.
(Many years on PTA).

YABU to not have told them exactly what you saw, and to let them know they'd better start drawing the raffle AT the event like most places do.

That's disgusting behaviour on their part but I feel as though you're complicit if you don't speak up.

That's the important thing here, not whether you personally buy a ticket or not 🙄