Why do you hate the PTA?

I imagine people don't like them because they somehow thinks their better parents it's always the sahm it's like a toxic parents group that exists mainly to guilt trip working parents that don't have spare time and made them feel bad because of it

Well it was just me who turned up to the school. I was new to had joined. It felt very dismissive.

It was very likely an honest oversight with no mean undertone

When my children where at primary the PTA got front row seats at all events. Somehow their children won top prizes at at the school fair and got lead roles in school plays/musicals despite sounding like a cat tail being stood on.

Nursery parents/staff contributing to school.fairs etc. But none of the money raised being spent on it. School automatically given money for trips and Christmas parties. Nursery have to ask them for a contribution to our party.
Currently local school raising funds for playground improvement. But nothing for Nursery playground.

Sadly our local primary PTA collapsed as no one could face running it!

it’s quite a community based school and most parents both work and people don’t have the same time they used to when there was a SAHM

the women running it were fab. What I have noticed is the people who slag off the PTA do so without any offer of help to do it better themselves and then wonder why there is no new school equipment or a bus for the trip to the zoo!

The best thing I’ve ever seen a PTA do was a present station for Christmas (?). Each child was taken in to choose a small gift that they wrapped, to take home for their Mum. Maybe it was in the run up to Mothering Sunday rather than Christmas.

It was a while ago, so I forget the details of how it was organised. I haven’t forgotten the children’s delight at being able to give something to their parents.

I love our school PTA. Without them the children would miss out on so many enrichment opportunities.
They work tirelessly to support all the children and all the children benefit, even those children whose parents are on here bitching about them.

You sound exactly why I never rejoined the PTA at ours. It absolutely should be for volunteers not just the ones who think they have successful jobs and take attitude everyone esle is below. Sadly at ours its always the PTA kids who get recognition, picked etc. Some of the PTA are also so stuck in their ways anyone new trying to join is met with a wall of no change. Shame when the vast majority of parents and kids are fed uo with the same things !!

You think these parents wielded control over multiple teachers including the head teacher?

Nursery parents/staff contributing to school.fairs etc. But none of the money raised being spent on it.

where are you suggesting the money went?

We do this, it's called "Elfridges" the kids get to pick one free present for a parent, then can buy other stuff for between £1-£4 for other family members, we wrap it and send it home with them. Tbh the ones who don't have any cash often get 2/3 presents because it might be their only opportunity to give something and I'm not gonna begrudge an extra quid or so to make sure they've got a present for their sibling/granny/dad or whatever.

We also pay for the panto trip every year, the coach for the summer field trip, get Santa in (with a pony with reindeer antlers) to give them all a present, pay for the dance/gymnastics/drama teacher who comes into the school every week that most of the kids absolutely love, pay for equipment for the forest school and support the school in keeping the swimming pool open, one of the only schools in the area to still have a functioning pool.

But we're all just a bunch of cliquey SAHM's who have nothing better to do with our time according to this thread.

@Swissmeringue there are definitely schools and PTAs that do an amazing job, and inevitably others that are less effective.

As I already said, money raised was spent on the school only, nothing for the nursery despite it being part of the school and the parents/staff contributing to the funds and giving up their time.
They did an audit one year and there was over £20,000 in the account but nothing offered to the nursery.

@Chilly80, Sorry to revive a dormant thread, but that's very impressive! How did you manage to raise so much money and keep so many items low cost or free?

We ran a lot of different events and also had a scheme were people could pay for an extra child who may not be able to afford it.

That scheme sounds like a good idea and one I think we ought to consider. We just make some costs voluntary (e.g. entry to the school disco) and maybe 70% of parents pay. Some pay this online, and the rest on the door, so it's not obvious who's paid and who hasn't.