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.

[Hoppinggreen]

I probably am a bit defensive but there was a thread yesterday where somebody said PTA members were generally “vacuous horrors”.
We only want whatever time and money people can give, if people can’t afford either that’s fine but please don’t criticise when we give our free time to plug gaps caused by funding cuts

[WeepingWillowWeepingWino]

The PTA at our school are great (none full time workers as all meetings are during the work day), they do so much and are very good at using all the resources the school body has to offer.

[CripsSandwiches]

@thatdisorganisedmum

Actually my eldest went to Maternelle in Belgium where they have a similar list and a) it didn't work very well the supermarkets were chaos at "le rentree" and would sell out of everything b) schools could have just bought it in bulk for a better price and c) it wasn't compulsory and the supplies were shared with the entire class so if you didn't buy it your child didn't go without.
Most of the parents hated the system and complained bitterly (it was a wealthy area so most could afford it but just found it stupid for the above mentioned reasons).

If you increase the expense of having children you have to give more money to those who can't afford it. Simple really.

[CripsSandwiches]

I'd also add the PTA at DC's school are great - very open to suggestions, will ask for help when needed, hold reasonably priced events and generally are very well appreciated by everyone. None work as it happens during the day so not an option for most of us to help out. My Dsis's school has a very cliquey PTA of very wealthy mums who don't take suggestions on board, won't accept offers of help (even from people with particular expertise in event planning) and are just not very inclusive at all - more interested in the status of the event than including the kids and the school.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Ireland to name a third country who have to buy their own supplies.
(Which is what we're talking about, not the massive leap to private school which some are talking about).

[thatdisorganisedmum]

I think in Germany you have to buy your own supplies too.

[FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones]

@thatdisorganisedmum

That's so incredibly stupid and inefficient. What the hell is the point of parents paying for individual glue sticks instead of the school buying it cheaply from a supplier? Why the hell would parents buy books their child is going to read once? What happens to parents who can't afford it? "Sorry little Harry, your mum couldn't afford your school book so you won't learn to read". Education requires equipment and that equipment along with the other resources needed for education should be paid for via taxes so that it is available to everyone.

[FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones]

Also In Germany there is a much more generous benefit system for parents (and highly subsidised full time childcare for children from one years old) so the issue of not being able to afford it is negated.

[Corneliawildthing]

Our school PTA is holding endless lucky squares competitions to fund iPads. Every week on FB there is another one and it's the same parents contributing all the time.

Unfortunately they didn't consult with the staff about what the money was going to be spent on - we don't want iPads. What happens in other schools? Do the PTA decide what the money is going to be spent on or do they ask the HT and staff?

[Parttimewasteoftime]

I am very grateful for our PTA they all work really hard. My children enjoy the discos movie nights etc however we are lucky enough to be able to pay for all these events.
There is no right answer schools have no money.
As most posters have said do what you can afford but don't judge they are trying to enrich your child's school life.

[thatdisorganisedmum]

FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones
it might be incredibly stupid but it's the system chosen by several countries. Don't pretend it doesn't exist because you don't agree with it.

I can't see any issue in forcing parents to feel more involved with school and education, and stop seeing it as some kind of "freebie" they are entitled to.

For the full reasons behind the scheme, I am sure all education departments from these countries have a full lists of valid arguments!

The more I read about our system as it stands, the more I think they are right - and more importantly I think that it's where we are heading in the near future. Things are changing, and not for the best, the whole system needs a rethink.

Currently closing school to pupils on Fridays afternoons doesn't seem the best answer to me....And yes, it does already happen in some places.

[thatdisorganisedmum]

What happens in other schools? Do the PTA decide what the money is going to be spent on or do they ask the HT and staff?

In my local schools everybody is invited to 2 (I think it's 2) General Meetings with PTA members, school representatives including the head to discuss. (and any parent who wants to attend).

In summary, the school has a long list of requests and the PTA needs to decide where to allocate the funds because there's not enough to cover everything.

[SwappitySwap]

Just don’t engage with any of the PTA nonsense past Y2. That’s what most sane people do.

Children have already made their friends, PTA’s only ever invest in Foundation or KS1 equipment in the schools because that’s where the majority of the PTA busybodies & HT want to spend (little kids wreck stuff and you can’t entice prospective parents in with tatty Reception toys).

Beats seeing someone’s balding Dad’s band belting out another tuneless Oasis cover at the summer fete while buying overpriced sweets and cake made with free E. coli...

[FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones]

it might be incredibly stupid but it's the system chosen by several countries. Don't pretend it doesn't exist because you don't agree with it.

So you admit it's very stupid but still want to implemented? OK. Also as a PP commented it's requested but not compulsory so no parents aren't forced to provide supplies.

[greenpop21]

How much are they charging for a disco? Ours is only a few pound, mufti £1 each time. Film night is £5 incl popcorn and a drink and hot dog.

[FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones]

I can't see any issue in forcing parents to feel more involved with school and education, and stop seeing it as some kind of "freebie" they are entitled to.

Your comments are getting more and more obviously ignorant. Education is a freebie that everyone is entitled to. Literally everyone is entitled to it. Just like I'm entitled to free hospital care. If I'm admitted into hospital I don't need to bring my own antiseptic wipes with me, or provide my own bandages. It's provided by the hospital which is paid for via my taxation.

[thatdisorganisedmum]

FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones
a PP commented about Belgium, I assure you it's compulsory in other countries.

Parents in other countries are being told that it's compulsory to buy a school uniform here, and some think it's stupid and no one would agree to that so it's not achievable.

See how that works both ways?

[thatdisorganisedmum]

Education is a freebie that everyone is entitled to. Literally everyone is entitled to it. Just like I'm entitled to free hospital care.

wow you do realise that not every country follows the UK system?

You do realise that things are changing in this country? You sound a bit naive.

[HolesinTheSoles]

This thread is getting more and more insane. The reason education is state funded is because it's vital - everyone deserves an education regardless of their parents' ability to pay for it. A single mum working full time (or even part time) can't volunteer for the PTA and might not be able to afford to subsidise the school. You can't just "force" people to give what they don't have.

[HolesinTheSoles]

@thatdisorganisedmum

Your posts are incoherent and insane. Every first world nation has free education and we're talking about the UK so frankly other countries are irrelevant. Education is free and everyone is entitled to it whether or not they volunteer for the PTA disco. In some countries you're asked for a voluntary contribution of some prit sticks and in some you're not - what has that got to do with the issue?

[Usuallyinthemiddle]

And this, people, is why I bowed out after three years of PTA graft.

When your kid's play equipment rots, don't come running to me. I gave up days of my time (And quite often receipts that weren't worth worrying about but mount up that I never claimed back. And materials, ingredients, time at my actual job, time with my own children...) quite willingly until the tsunami of whinge got wore me down. Then I got just as much abuse for not doing it any more.

[thatdisorganisedmum]

HolesinTheSoles
no need to be rude because you cannot understand my posts and ignore the posts I was replying to.

I mean, from someone who writes:
Every first world nation has free education and we're talking about the UK so frankly other countries are irrelevant.
so why do you bother mentioning every first world nation if they are irrelevant?

[Hoppinggreen]

cornelia to answer your question, here is what we do at our school.
We pay for things every year like Leavers Tshirts but also each year group can ask for up to £300 for curriculum enrichment. We have paid for outside companies to come in and do things related to a topic they are doing such as owls or a planetarium. That way the dc get something related to what they are doing that year.
We won’t pay for equipment or repairs

[FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones]

@thatdisorganisedmum
What on earth is your point? You said yourself people should stop feeling that education is a freebie they should be entitled to. Education in this country is a freebie you are entitled to. You may not like it but that's just tough. People have explained to you very clearly why parents buying school supplies is inefficient and others have pointed out it's unpopular in the the counties that have this system. It's very obvious that the equipment such as books, computers etc would never be supplied by the parents for obvious reasons.

[HolesinTheSoles]

@thatdisorganisedmum

I don't think anyone understand what on earth your point is and I've read the entire thread. You want parents to pay for pencils for the classroom despite the fact it would be more expensive and would cost us (the taxpayer more). You then said people shouldn't feel entitled to education and YOU brought up other countries (which is irrelevant) but the reference to other countries didn't make sense because every other country does have free education. So to make it clear to you your point about other countries is both incorrect and irrelevant.