To think the PTA are a bit much?

[Notreallyaninfluencer]

I probably am BU but bloody hell, so far this academic year I’ve paid out £70 for my two DC to attend four PTA events (two of them discos). There has also been several mufti days and a sponsored event at the end of the summer term. Does this seem a bit much? I’ve never paid out this much in previous years.

[WeepingWillowWeepingWino]

I would have thought the cost has risen because of cuts to the school's funding, so the PTA will be expected to fund more than they used to.

Don't you think?

[KrispyKremes]

This "the PTA are after my money" attitude drives me mad.

People don;t seem to understand that the PTA are all people giving up their own free time to make money for the school and the children in it.

At our school the PTA help towards the cost of school trips, have totally funded 2 new adventure trails and pond. Provide ice lollies on sports day, chocolate eggs at Easter, all the leavers gifts for year 6.

And yet people still somehow think we're in it for some kind of negative reason....

[thatdisorganisedmum]

YAB very U

Frequent events doesn't mean your children have to attend them all. If you are normally at work, you must have organised after school childcare, so your children are not available anyway, are the?

I nearly wish for a complete overall of the system. Instead of relying on the PTA raising efforts, we should just follow other countries systems, where families have to provide supplies and are given a (fairly long) list each summer holiday, from reception, and have to buy everything from pens to books.
Instead of using the PTA fundings efforts, each trip could be sold at cost to the parents too.

If I remember correctly, each parent is member of the PTA - only a few volunteer to become part of the committee. Feel free to be more involved and express your views whilst giving your time. It's very easy to criticise the work of others, which cannot be perfect.

[Notreallyaninfluencer]

If you are normally at work, you must have organised after school childcare, so your children are not available anyway, are the? (sic)

My sister takes them to and from school but I’m not really sure what that’s got to do with you or why you are trying to trip me up to suit your own thoughts?

[thatdisorganisedmum]

My sister takes them to and from school but I’m not really sure what that’s got to do with you or why you are trying to trip me up to suit your own thoughts?

no need to get so angry, did I touch some kind of nerve?
I wasn't replying to you wrongnamechange so I am not sure why you are getting all upset, but it must apply to you too then.

My point was that if you send your kids to a PTA event, you are happy to benefit from their free childcare for the cost of an event - or free not to send them at all.

[DobbyTheHouseElk]

Our PTA are running a competition that you have to pay to enter. They haven’t had any entries yet.

[Blankscreen]

If you can afford it then I don't think it is much money at all. Obviously if you are really hard up then it is too much.

THE PTA at our school pays for enrichment activities and have just funded a new play ground fit out at £20k!

Without parents contributing these things wouldn't happen.

[thatdisorganisedmum]

Just realised that OP had a different user name when I replied, which has now been changed back, that's confusing

I know it's not a poster's mistake, previous posts don't normally change after your change your username, is the website playing up?

[arethereanyleftatall]

I agree with disorganisedmum with where complaints against the pta are headed.

The situation is that schools need more money than they are funded. That needs to happen, the question is how?

At the moment, some lovely people give up their time to raise these funds. Parents can choose to give or not.

Some parents complain. The ones who complain about everything but do fuck all to help.

The lovely people currently giving up their time think fuck this.

The school still needs more money.

End result. Every parent is then requested to fund their child's schooling in some way, probably through purchasing of materials.

Well done complainers.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Surely the point of the PTA is to raise money. Of course fund raisers cost money!

[Hoppinggreen]

No are there any it’s because we are bored housewives hoping to earn Brownie points so our child gets to be Mary in The Nativity next year, that’s why we do it.
I don’t blame anyone who doesn’t want to contribute/ help/ join the PTA. Sometimes I can’t be bothered and I’mThe Chair but if that is the case don’t complain or criticise.

[ThreeAnkleBiters]

I think people are being unnecessarily rude to the OP. I do think it's fair to question the number and price of PTA events to ensure it's inclusive of all children. Yes the kids don't HAVE to attend but it would be tricky to tell your child "no" to a disco everyone else is going to.
Yes PTA are having to compensate for a shortfall in funding but it's just unrealistic to imagine that can come entirely from the parents.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Lol, ah yes good point hopping, I forgot the real reason.

[WeepingWillowWeepingWino]

But the OP can and has paid for these events, she just doesn't want to.

[ThreeAnkleBiters]

I also think the attitude shown by some of the PTA members written here probably explains why some people have attitude. OP wrote a polite post just questioning the price of events and look at the defensive responses. You can be appreciative of the PTA's efforts while still having a (polite) opinion. You have to accept that holding lots of events puts pressure on parents - there's nothing wrong with OP pointing that out.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Then who should the extra funding come from @ThreeAnkleBiters if not the parents of the children at the school (given there's no more money in the government pot).

[ThreeAnkleBiters]

But the OP can and has paid for these events, she just doesn't want to.

Yes perhaps because it puts lots of pressure on her finances and she knows she won't be able to continue to.

Why is it so unacceptable for her to write a polite post simply questioning the PTA in her school. She wasn't rude, she wrote a simple post answering a question and people have laid into her. You could have easily responded politely explaining the pressure some schools are under. To be fair though the PTA funds are unlikely to scratch the surface of the short fall. Unless it's a very wealthy area most parents aren't going to give more than £70 a term and it can't be expected of them. A better solution would be for the PTA to be looking outside of just the parent's pockets - sponsorship, community events etc.

[thatdisorganisedmum]

You have to accept that holding lots of events puts pressure on parents - there's nothing wrong with OP pointing that out.

I am not in the PTA, but I find people complaining when they are not involved very irritating. It's fine to have an opinion, but then get involved, join the PTA and offer a better alternative. And your time.
Unless you offer practical solutions and your time to put them in place, how is your moan helpful to anyone?

School parents are just people.

[InACheeseAndPickle]

No are there any it’s because we are bored housewives hoping to earn Brownie points so our child gets to be Mary in The Nativity next year, that’s why we do it.

Defensive much? Nobody suggested any of that except you. OP made an observation that she's being tapped for a lot more than in previous years. It's fine to say it's "optional" but imagine how devastated your child will be if they're the only one in uniform on a mufti day.

[InACheeseAndPickle]

I am not in the PTA, but I find people complaining when they are not involved very irritating. It's fine to have an opinion, but then get involved, join the PTA and offer a better alternative. And your time.

But OP did volunteer for the PTA and now can't because she works. What else is she meant to do?

[arethereanyleftatall]

Three ankle biters - yes, you're right with the second point. What has happened at my dcs school (and from the responses lots of other people's schools) is that there are a few vocal complainers who are getting everyone's backs up. Responses here have indeed projected that type of person on to the op, who, you are right, asked an entirely polite question. But you can see how frustrated everyone's getting with the complainers.

[WeepingWillowWeepingWino]

I'm sorry but for a parent with a child at school right now not to be aware of the huge cuts many schools have faced is nonsense. We have had several letters from our HT about the cuts, we all know and understand the financial pressure the school is under.

Luckily our school has some very generous (both financially and with their time) parents who make our events as inclusive and accessible as possible whilst raising a lot of money for the school (for example, our Yr 6s don't have to pay anywhere like as much personally for the Yr 6 journey as others I've read about on here, thanks to the efforts of the PTA and school body as a whole).

[thatdisorganisedmum]

But OP did volunteer for the PTA and now can't because she works. What else is she meant to do?

All the PTA members in my kids schools have full time job.

At the very least, make a least of suggestions, get your company or business to sponsor an event, contact more companies to sponsor events and make them free for the parents.

But then, if you need to raise money to hold an event designed to raise money for the school, it starts to make no sense at all doesn't it.

Instead of having 1 event a year, it's much better to hold regular events (disco and so on), so all children have a chance to attend at least one. Much more inclusive that way.

[ThreeAnkleBiters]

@arethereanyleftatall

Then who should the extra funding come from @ThreeAnkleBiters if not the parents of the children at the school (given there's no more money in the government pot).

You know full well thats ridiculous. Not all parents can afford to make up the short fall. In fact almost none can - in DC's school the PTA tries hard but doesn't even scratch the surface. To say well the parents will just have to make up the shortfall is so obviously unrealistic it's not even worth debating.

[stucknoue]

At my kids primary there was one kid event and one parents event in each of the autumn and spring terms then the fete in the summer/festival. It was £6-8 then (years ago) per person plus optional things to buy eg drinks. I don't think £10 is unreasonable for a disco, more if it includes food. Interestingly own clothes days are still £1 here, which they were 25 years ago when I was at school!