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Original poster

Teachers asking for freebies on Facebook

131 replies

astersugar · 05/08/2022 13:26

Forgive the provocative title. But can someone explain this? I'm part of a few community reuse sites which are wonderful. Great for finding new homes for things and picking up things for free. Over the past week I've seen about four or five different teachers asking for toys for their new classes in September. Is this really how it works? Is this normal across the country? Is it really the case that teachers either have to beg for hand me downs or dip into their own pockets to properly resource their classrooms? It's been quite eye opening this week. I know I could ask one of the teachers this but I don't want to cause offence and my instincts say they're doing the very best they can so I don't want to open a can of worms on their posts. But does anyone work in education here who can explain this? I naively thought that schools would have funding to purchase learning resources, toys etc or at least the PTA would cover this... Seems I was very wrong.

OP posts:
Rainbowqueeen · 05/08/2022 13:29

My local school hasn’t done the fundraising it would normally do over the past few years, firstly because of covid and now because of the economy. So I can see why teachers would be doing this.

ArticSaviour · 05/08/2022 13:29

I am in secondary and regularly buy resources - glue, pens, post its etc - for my classes. Plus any display materials. We just don't have the money.

BreakerOfBras · 05/08/2022 13:29

I'm a Headteacher and I'm aware some of my teachers do this. We have absolutely nothing in our budget (apart from a great big deficit which I inherited.)
I would love to be able to allocate funds for new books, toys, etc but outside the bare minimum (stationery, exercise books, texts) I cannot. I'm grateful my teachers care enough to source these independently.

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SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 05/08/2022 13:30

I think there is a lot of underfunding, so it seems like a reasonable request. BTW your title made me think they were asking for freebies for themselves like in the thread where the grabby mother wanted people to fund her coffee and cake habit.

JingsMahBucket · 05/08/2022 13:31

This is always how it is. Schools are extremely under resourced and teachers are very underpaid, especially when you count them having to buy basic classroom items out of their own pockets. This is also an issue of some curricula being very rigid. This means items the teachers think would be enrichment aren't or can't be funded by the budget so they buy them out of pocket. Even items like extra worksheets and stuff like that. There's a whole ecosystem of teachers trading self-designed interesting or enriching worksheets or extra learning materials online in order to boost their students' learning experiences.

EddieVeddersfoxymop · 05/08/2022 13:32

Yup, sadly its the only way. We fund so much ourselves - even basics like pencils, glue etc etc

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 05/08/2022 13:33

I’ve spent the last few years more confused by why classes don’t have published wish lists like they do In the state for people to purchase as gifts.

There is Little Money going spare.

MumofSpud · 05/08/2022 13:34

I am just about to do this!
This summer I have spent £60 on resources / trawled through charity shops but enough is enough!
I have set up a classroom library for my new classroom (secondary Nurture Group)

FlibbertyGiblets · 05/08/2022 13:34

Yes it is normal and been so since my own children started school (youngest now 19). Chronic underfunding for decades.

toomuchlaundry · 05/08/2022 13:35

School budgets are horrendous, will be even more so after staff pay rises and no funding provided for these increases (not saying there shouldn't be pay rises, need equivalent funding too). Once staff costs and utilities are paid for there will be very little left for resources

TailSpinner · 05/08/2022 13:35

Schools are cash strapped. If you can get something for free you do it. I started a board game club so got some old ones from friends and bought a few in charity shops. They’re also handy for wet play obviously. Our business manager would have laughed in my face had I asked her to order us some.

grapehyacinthisactuallyblue · 05/08/2022 13:35

It's a known fact that the school is underfunded. So it's great that teachers are doing this so the children don't miss out. School near us haven't done the seasonal school fairs for past few years, which may have the effect on budget too.

Chasingsquirrels · 05/08/2022 13:36

My mum retired from infant teaching nearly 20 years ago, and even then she used to buy things for the classroom herself. I can only imagine it has got worse.

toomuchlaundry · 05/08/2022 13:36

@KleineDracheKokosnuss one of our local schools set up an Amazon wishlist for their resources

Pashazade · 05/08/2022 13:37

Totally I've just passed on a big mass of my Home Educating resources, that my child has grown out of, to a friend who teaches a younger year group, they were very grateful for them.

CaptainMyCaptain · 05/08/2022 13:38

It has always been like this I did it in the 80s but not on Facebook. I used to ask face to face for scrap paper from offices etc for art work. There may have been a period in between when it wasn't necessary.

I once walked into a shoe shop and asked if they had any spare shoe boxes (for storage) and they fell about laughing. It turned out they had just been burgled and the thieves had taken the shoes and left the boxes.

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 05/08/2022 13:39

@toomuchlaundry i wish mind would. I’d be very happy to buy from it.

implantsandaDyson · 05/08/2022 13:39

Yes, I'm a classroom assistant in primary and I bring in stuff that my own kids (from older teens down to upper primary) didn't use, barely used, was a bit of a fad etc. Last term at home we had a clear out and I brought two barely cuddled big IKEA toys in for our cuddle/reading corner. All my kids old Happyland, Marvel, Lego Star Wars figures, globes, maps, posters of maps etc all went into the school. Books as well.

mindutopia · 05/08/2022 13:40

Yes, it’s quite normal unfortunately. I have lots of teacher friends (in the US) who buy nearly everything for their classrooms. Posters for the walls, pens, pencils, rubbers, art supplies, etc.

Bernadinetta · 05/08/2022 13:40

Yes, this is how it is.

schoolcuts.org.uk Search for your local school here to see their funding shortfall.

Chocs44 · 05/08/2022 13:42

This is very common. Schools have very little if any money in their budgets for resources. In my school teachers regularly buy things for their classes using their own money or search charity shops and car boot sales. We also ask parents to donate unused toys.

ChloeKellyIsAnIcon · 05/08/2022 13:42

Schools are allocated a certain amount of money from the government (based mainly on the number of pupils). For some schools it can be hard to make that money meet the costs of running the school, especially if one or more of the following applies:


  • a relatively experienced staffing structure (experienced teachers are paid more than NQTs)

  • the school is rural or undersubscribed so the ration of teachers to pupils is higher than average

  • higher than average number of children with SEN who need extra support but are not eligible for additional funding

Etc. If costs exceed income, things like toys will be last on the list.

MissDollyMix · 05/08/2022 13:43

Yes it is. Our local primary wasn’t in an academy so received next to nothing in funding. My friend is a TA and had to get the whole community rallied round to get the classrooms ready for the new academic year with donations of books, toys and time to fix/replace all the broken/tired areas of the classrooms 😔

HelebethH · 05/08/2022 13:45

I would just like to say I have the utmost respect for teachers who appear to be expected to do their job with one hand behind their backs! I went to school in the sixties and early seventies and personally do not ever remember schools having to beg for money like they are now. It is only since having grandchildren have I realised how badly successive governments are letting the children down. I am more than happy to pass anything on to them they can use . A big thank you to all the teachers that care for their classes who ask on Facebook, fundraise and spend their own money on resources.

Suprima · 05/08/2022 13:47

I had my heckles up when I saw this- just so you know OP, asking for a ‘freebie’ suggests that someone is being cheeky. These teachers are anything but.

school funding is pitiful but the attitudes to what it goes on, completely vary. I have never last long at a school which didn’t supply what was needed to do my job.

i personally think teachers buying glue for their class are complete mugs. If my school business manager said ‘no’, then I would call my union. There is definitely money for fucking glue, and if they don’t want to spend it- they should be pulled up for it. Unfortunately primary especially tends to attract very kind, self sacrificing types who would definitely buy their own pencils. And management who take advantage of this to save cash.

Every summer you have NQTs spending hundreds on the basics, and lots of experienced teachers who are muggins completely supporting this. I had to intervene on a Facebook group when I saw an NQT was trying to find a cheaper way of getting a 400 quid rug (a special classroom one with spots for the children) and lots of teachers giving advice which would have led her to buying a completely essential item for her classroom out of her own pocket.

I have however spent money on a nice box of Lego for my class for wet play, or special non essential reading books. This is my choice and I’m happy to do it. There is only sporadic spots in the budget at certain time in the year for ‘luxuries’ (currently rolling my eyes) like this.