Tell me about being on the PTFA

[EatingWormsMichael]

I sometimes think I'd like to join the ptfa cos I'm a good organiser and quite creative, plus I like kids so would be happy to volunteer to do stuff. I'm also sad that the school struggles for basic items like reading books.

However I'm a bit intimidated by some of the people on it, plus they seem to meet in evenings when I don't have childcare (single parent).

Do/did you enjoy being on the ptfa? What did you have to do?? Do people dislike ptfa members, I've noticed some parents roll their eyes a bit about them.

Depends who’s on it. Some years ours has been a complete disaster, culminating in a playground screaming match between members and the HT banning the former head of the PTA from the school grounds. Other years some lovely people have had a great time together and planned some really successful events. There are always accusations of nepotism, cliques, general whingers, people who want more/fewer/different events etc but most of the complainers are also unwilling to actually do anything so I think can be ignored.

Personally I’m heavily involved in other volunteering so I swerve PTA stuff these days, but you could always try it out and see. Don’t feel intimidated, they’re just parents like you, doing their best. Timings for meetings is always tricky, but you could start by doing the practical and occasional stuff that doesn’t involve meetings - offer to man a table at the Christmas fete or sell the popcorn at movie night or whatever.

I was on the PTA at my DC's primary school and really enjoyed it. It's a large school with 4 form entry so all of our events were very well attended and raised much needed funds for the school every year. We had a good core group of volunteers and there was never any cliques or fallings out. A few people had named roles eg Chair, Secretary etc but most people just dipped in and out whenever they had the time. We also varied our meeting days / times, sometimes in the pub on an evening and other times straight after school .

The only downside was the odd complaint from parents for really unreasonable things but we'd just ignore those and not let it bother us.

I was on PTAs whilst DD2 was in yR-y10.
I've been chair, secretary an treasurer.

Meetings tend to be when most convenient for most members. If you join they may move them around a bit, or you could host at yours. Alternatively you could send input and offers via someone else.

My tips:
Listen for a while before coming up with bright new ideas; instead get involved in helping so you become a trustworthy person
If you come up with bright new ideas be willing to invest time yourself in making them happen
Don't over commit and under deliver
Remember the PTA is limited by what volunteers are willing to do
Fund raising events need to raise funds so a firm hand on costs is important

After a particularly stressful PTFA meeting i wanted to have a read and get tips and would be good to see if there any more thoughts / advice out there. Strong personalities and not enough volunteers to manage the events we're trying to do are making it very difficult for me right now and I just don't need this hassle but feel obliged as it will collapse otherwise.

Not enough volunteers means scale back or drop the event.
You can only do what you have volunteers for.

'We would like to run an end of term disco on July 17, but we need 5 volunteers each for the infants and juniors parts. These volunteers will be doing refreshments / tickets / door minding / crowd control on the night. No pre-work required. If we don't get volunteers by Monday after half term we will reluctantly need to cancel.'

People seem to think there's resource outside of the people sitting round the table in a meeting. There isn't. Might get the volunteers who pitch up and man a stall but that stall still needs setting up, a float organising , product buying or donation organised etc etc.

You're not obliged. You choose to do what you can and want to do.

One thing PTAs need to recognise is there is a lot of pressure on families - so many people are working very hard/long hours, looking after elderly parents, juggling other commitments, trying to manage a house etc etc.

If you don't have enough volunteers, cut back on the programme.

I did but we had a lovely albeit small group. I helped organise things and helped on the day with events. Lots of people will tell you how to improve but won't volunteer to help mind lol

@HecticHedgehog exactly this. Loads of ideas but nobody to implement them. It's a smallish school too so fewer parents