Teachers asking for freebies on Facebook

[astersugar]

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.

I am a school librarian and have spent probably hundreds of pounds of my own money on books over the last five years. If I could get them for free I would and I have posted some n local groups asking for old chessboards. Someone directed me to the local charity shop which kind of
missed the point.

Unfortunately the budgets in schools are really small.

I teach KS1 and spend an absolute fortune every month on resources to try and make my classroom hands on and the learning practical and fun.

We barely get given enough pencils for the year and it's a battle to get a couple more glue sticks.

Next time your child comes home with a tatty Christmas card they've made or some other project, think who's bought all the resources needed to make each of those items because it's very likely to have come straight out of the teacher's pocket. And we do so because we don't want our class to miss out.

So yes asking on Facebook for freebies is now part of this - I would absolutely love some donations of decent quality play resources, particularly for my outside area if anybody has any to give away!!

I work in secondary pastoral and regularly buy tights, stationery, pastoral aids and resources, pencil cases and stationery, water bottles, kids lunches, scrapbooking supplies for memory books, games, cereal bars and other breakfast items. There just isn’t the money in the budget for these things although they are essential.

Yep, teachers regularly find their own classroom supplies. There was a thread a few years ago about end of year presents for teachers, and a load of teachers replied with stuff like "a box of glue sticks and a big staple gun please".

Are the schools not allowed to ask parents for donations or something? It's weird that we have a system in this country of either paying £20k per year for schooling, or absolutely nothing at all and letting the school experience suffer for the kids.

A charge of £100 per term for those not on free school meals would surely make the world of difference.

I taught for 40 years and can tell you that this is not news. It's been going on for as long as I can remember. Schools only provide the basics - anything extra either comes out of teachers' own pockets, or else is donated.

School budgets are stretched to the max. If a teacher/TA can get hold of 'freebies' via FB or anywhere else, more children benefit from the donation than if an individual family took the item. Although I appreciate many families need the support too.

It's such a sad state of affairs, shouldn't be this way but until state schools are properly funded, this is the world we live in now.

Yep. Typical. I just donated some of my daughter’s Early Years educational toys to Reception (she’s going into Year 3). When I was teaching, I spent about £200 a year of my own money.

@Iwantthesummersun
Yes my children are luckily just a couple of years older than those I'm teaching or I genuinely don't know how I could deliver playbased learning! All these wonderful ideas you're shown on these inspiring courses you're sent on, and at the end of every one you're left thinking yes, but how am I supposed to do this when there's no money for any resources?!

Our primary has always had a very active PTA, raising a good amount of money with activities throughout the year. Teachers are asked to hand over their “wish lists” and the purchases made for them. During the pandemic this almost came to a standstill although, once lockdown finished, a group of parents asked for donations of anything useful that could be sold on Facebook to raise money for the school. We also get lots of donations from local shops and supermarkets but it does involve parents being willing to approach shops and ask for them.

We are in a fairly middle class area where the number of children receiving free school meals (income related) has always been very low and most families would have had a bit of spare money to give but, with the current economic situation, I can see that changing so I think it’s only going to get worse.

One thing my kids' primary school did is suggest that on kid's birthdays they can bring a storybook for the class and donate it. The book is read to the class and they have a label in saying donated by x on their birthday. It's a really nice way of increasing the classroom library and celebrating birthdays. There's no pressure if someone doesn't want to do it either.

I’m a primary teacher and have always had to buy pens, pencils, rubbers, sharpeners, toys, Lego etc for my classes. It’s a big amount every month.

Schools are terribly underfunded. I would prefer that teachers appeal to the community via Facebook than feel that they have to spend their own hard earned cash on essentials for the classroom. It's shocking how badly eroded school funding is now.

My DS’ school asked for the gardening stuff I was giving away. I gave his teachers book vouchers for an end of year gift and they spent them on books for the classroom. I felt bad about that as I planned for them to treat themselves to some holiday reading.

This is unbelievable. Do you not ask the parents: we have a budget shortage so need a few extra items to teach YOUR CHILDREN. Please could you donate £10 or whatever you can if you are able to?

I know some people can't/won't but I'm sure lots will.

Maybe it has always been going on, but it is definitely getting worse. I'm a school governor, and our finance committee has had to cut things back further and further. We have managed to increase the income that we generate for ourselves, and that has prevented us from going under, but it's getting harder and harder to manage, especially with rising energy costs now, and unfunded pay increases.

Yep. Imagine trying to teach cookery with no money for ingredients. Or art with no decent paint or even paper. Or Computing with outdated equipment. Or no equipment at all!!

Let alone the umpteen Christmas makes, cards, creative projects and calendars we churn out in Primary with no resources whatsoever. I dread to think how much card & craft stuff I've bought from the Works with my own money just so the children don't miss out.

Teachers have had to get really creative and resourceful of late. And with the 'pay rise' (token gesture totally unfunded by Govt just so they look like they've done something) this will get much worse.

Also think common sense here, if I want a new board game for my classroom. Would I ask my school to spend £20 on Amazon or would I look for it in charity shops/ask for donations

The amount of school budget available to buy consumables varies a bit from school to school, but it is generally very small. I work in one school where staffing is 92% of the budget.
Teachers get given a classroom, with furniture and a basic set of resources but they set up there classroom themselves and will beg, borrow and buy all sorts to make it work for the children. even in the office i buy stuff for things like art week cos i cant bear to think of the kids doing art week with no materials.

It's normal in my school. I'm a TA and my classroom is kitted out with my own children's old toys and things that the other class staff and I have either bought ourselves or have had donated to us by kind friends who were giving things away.

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.

Yes. I have never had a budget for my classroom resources-we get an allocation of pencils/books/pencils which we have to make last the year, but if we want any sort of play equipment, it’s been my own children’s stuff, stuff from charity shops, stuff begged and borrowed from friends/family or very kindly donated from lovely parents.

Thank you to people who have donated toys to schools and don’t mind doing so-it’s very much appreciated. It’s such a shame that some see it as teachers asking for ‘freebies’; it’s not as if it benefits anyone other than the children.

Yes. I’ve been a teacher for 12 years and have always resourced my classroom out of my own budget or by asking on freecycle. Apart from things like pencils and exercise books. There is a non existent budget for anything additional sadly.

Free school meals are only available to those on benefits and there would be a lot of working people unable to contribute that much. Basics like glue and books should be provided by the government. I didn't mind so much contributing extras like dressing up clothes and some play things.

Thank you for sharing these comments. My grandmother died at the end of 2020 at a time when a funeral would have been difficult. In lieu of an expensive funeral my aunt donated the money that would have been spent on it to the primary school my grandmother attended. They did an absolutely lovely display in her honour in the school library and purchased lots of books for the pupils with stickers inside with her name. At the time I obviously thought it was a lovely thing to do but reading this comments has made me realise what a truly great thing it was. My aunt is a retired teacher so I can only assume gets these issues much more than I do! Thanks for all the views. I'm going to scroll back through my son's school's end of term newsletter requesting old toys to see if I can help.

A charge of £100 per term for those not on free school meals would surely make the world of difference

I think huge numbers of parents would be up in arms and refuse to pay. We have a good half of our parents who won’t pay £15 for school trips once a year.