Why do you hate the PTA?

I think far fewer parents wet themselves with excitement at the prospect of a school fete than the average PTA understands. If it didn’t happen it would just be one fewer thing to feel pressured to fit into an already busy (and probably rainy) weekend with cranky children.

I would give a generous monthly sustaining donation to the school if they could promise I would never again be mugged at the school gate and hassled about the understaffed facepainting stand or the need for me to prepare a gluten and nut free dish from my home country for World Cuisines Day or whatnot.

I would give generously to a library fund or a sports fund or a SEND fund or bursary for school trips for kids who need it, and I’d be even happier if I felt the school’s fundraising efforts were even vaguely efficient - but they’re not, they’re bogged down by all these extra commitments of time and faff and events my DC always hates anyway and refuses to go to, not to mention the endless texts and emails and miserable pass agg complaints about how shit and selfish we all are.

It's more for the kids than for you, I think

The ROI for PTA activities is horrendous and makes me incredibly cross. It’s incredibly poor planning but they all pat themselves on the pack for how much money they’ve raised. They’d be better off shaking a tin.

@FurForksSake a box of Mr Kipling cakes are often about £1.
Yes for some families sadly that extra £1 is just not doable but many families can easily afford that.

I always think people who hate the PTA don’t really get how much schools need the money from the PTA.

i work in a school in quire a middle class area… lots of middle class families but also a number of families in extreme poverty.

Our PTA are excellent, probably because the committee is made up of middle class lawyers accountants and business people who have chosen either to take time off or who have chosen to do work for the PTA as well as their work ( that is almost always the treasurers).

We have recently had a regime change and I’ll definitely suggest that we offer parents the chance to donate a sum, any sum , at the beginning of the year if that will help them not feel bothered by requests throughout the year.

However our PTA have been amazing.

Some things that parents have funded that they will probably never see

Fixing the reading books - they have replaced all the ones that were “lost” over tge last 5 years and the ones where “my water bottle leaked”. So many many reading books are list and destroyed every year because pupils and parents simply don’t respect them.

Paying for the Accelerated Reader subscription. This encourages children to read and improves literacy but the subscription costs approx £4K

13 packs of the Crayola “Colours Of The World” multi ethnic skin tone coloured pencils - only about £120 but now every child in every class can colour pictures with children of their skin tone

So many pencils. We in Scotland have the “cost of the school day” policy where it must not cost families a penny to come to school. So school must be able to provide everything from free uniforms to those who need it, to free winter coats, waterproof outdoor wear, shoes, spare underwear, wellies, pencils, pens, rubbers… in Scotland pupils must be able to turn up and take part in every aspect of the curriculum without spending a single penny. That means the parent council need to pay for a massive amount of spare clothes, coats, waterproofs and outdoor shoes. Yes most families send their children to school with these things but we must provide everything for those who can’t or don’t.

pencils, rubbers sharpeners, felt pens, coloured pencils and everything are supplied by the parent council - we cannot ask parents to send children in with filled pencil cases because a number of families can’t

Glue Sticks. The pupil council could buy 4933953 and it would never be enough.

pretty things like craft feathers, tissue paper and pom-poms - no budgets to buy them so, the parent council

I love our parent council so much - they fund so much but I’ll definitely suggest a “one time payment per year then please don’t feel guilty “ payment

Im the secretary of our local primary school PTA.

there are only 7 members and that includes the head teacher and another class teacher. We all work full time (I run my own business), and we are honestly there to make the head teachers life easier. She’s a lovely lady who wants the best for the children, the school is very underfunded and our fundraising helps pay for things she asks for; including sport equipment, computers, books, gazebos and added extras that make the school experience more fun for the kids.

its very sad that there are people out there on a power trip from being on a PTA, we don’t get things right all the time but we certainly don’t exclude anyone

I don't get this. When I donate to the PTA I definitelydon't expect the money spent on junk food. I assume it's for equipment/books/teaching resources.

I stopped donating to our primary school PTA because they were spaffing most of the money on junk food treats.

I would rather just set up a direct debit or annual payment to the school, seems really inefficient.

Our school wouldn’t have a Christmas fayre as it would be exclusionary for a large number of families. They do a winter fayre which is mainly over priced craft stalls and a couple of games.

Also, we don’t have second hand uniform sales and instead have a bring and swap shed that is open at drop off and pick up for parents to use with no judgement.

I wonder if ptas should concentrate more on fundraising from businesses and grants and less on parents who can rarely afford to fund the schools wish list.

A box of mr Kipling cakes for the cake sale could be a good few quid which quite a few parents would have to think twice about.

I said that earlier but I think you put it better.

Some of ours were a bit Patty Simcox, others looked like they were begrudgingly doing community service and would rather be in prison. I joined for a bit, it was exhausting. Kudos to them all though, they do make things nicer for the kids!

I must live in a parallel universe.

The PTA are a group of people - well, mums - who get off their arse and actually do things to raise money for the school.

Events are “boring” and “awkward”? Not really. Would I choose to attend a crammed summer fair to play tombola, no. Do I mind doing so, also no. I’ve even (hold the front page) occasionally had a good time.

The “pressure” of finding something for the tombola - I mean, really? Donate if you want, not if you don’t want.

Yes, they constantly ask for money. Sometimes I participate, sometimes I don’t. I’ve never felt under pressure to join in or donate.

The PTA I was on didn't get a say on what money was spent on.
We asked the school and everything had to be approved.
Offering PTA money for some large playground equipment was actually turned down because the borough was legally responsible to provide it (which they did).
But we did fund buying some footballs, hulahoops, skipping ropes etc. But we ASKED the school first if that's what they wanted.

I'm in the secondary school PTA and I would just say

• all of us work full time /have busy lives. Most of us are a bit flakey as work and family have to come first, but we do our best to muddle along and raise money for schools
• I don't think any of the teachers other than the Headteacher would have any idea who is on the PTA so there's definitely no special treatment for our kids.
• we try and raise money because we see the requests from teachers and know how even small donations can add up to buy things for school that can really make a difference.
• we don't judge anyone for not volunteering, mainly we feel a bit crap that we don't manage to raise more /do more but we are a tiny team and none of us have specialist skills
• we aren't cliquey, we didn't know each other before we joined and most of us joined because we wanted to get to know new people. of course we do chat to each other because we have got to know each other.
• we very much do want new people to join because we can't do everything we would like to do
• we aren't any one "type" of person, I'd say we cover the full spectrum of different types of mum (interestingly no dads ever ask to join)

When do your events start? Ours always start at 1530, so not realistic for those who work 9-5.

Ok well lots of children do enjoy them. There’s always a line of excited children waiting for ours to open and go in.

This. PTAs shouldn't exist cos that's what taxes are for. In some schools pta dare to even put their nose into the actual business of educators and tell them how to teach. To most other mums they just look like busy bodies with too much time on their hands. Typically judgy cliquey sahm. So there's prejudice against them.

Years of emotional blackmail to join from the very small PTA at my DC school. Working parents asked if it was possible to make some meetings evening time. That didn’t work for the SAHP who liked to meet in the middle of the day. Great opportunity for them to be martyrs. Always lots of working parents for Christmas and summer fairs but we’d get ignored by the PTA members.

I’d happily contribute a good whack of money if I didn’t have to make anything, remember to bring something in, or attend any events. I understand they need to be at 1530, but most of the parents work, so have to take holiday, juggle work responsibilities, etc. I’d prefer it adults didn’t have to attend and did it on the last days of term when the school always has a half day (during normal school time, but not missing education).

Sounds like your PTA isn't very good at organising Xmas fairs then.
We do all of that, plus you can drop into your kids classroom to look at the displays which parents who work a 9-5 can never normally do.

Plug the obligatory second hand uniform sale which really helps families who maybe can't afford new

I don't hate PTA but yes I can see our childrens' PTA described here. Tbh a school shouldn't depend on PTA but sadly often do.

I joined the PTA when my son began school. I enjoyed it as I had lots of friends on it doing the same and we worked together and did a lot for the school and our kids.

Ended up being secretary for 3 years and honestly it gave me confidence in talking at meetings and asking (begging 😂) local businesses for raffle prizes. It’s so important as otherwise there would be no money for end of term discos, play equipment, sports pitches etc etc etc …..Honestly parents moan but the fab people that give there time make school better for their children (and our own which is why we do it)

Should that have been you are being unreasonable?

Well it's all down to who organises it really.
Not every school fair will be the same.

Your school fairs didn’t have a Santa grotto or games?