School constantly asking for money

[abitofpeace]

Just wondering how it is in other people’s primary schools. Ours is constantly asking for money. Usually raffle tickets, etc but more recently some of the parents are selling stuff through the school and giving the profits to the school. It feels like everyday they ask for something!

There is also a monthly (optional) direct debit if parents want to pay regular. Are finances so bad that thee government need such a large boost?

We do get a free education, not everyone pays tax, but every child quite rightly gets an education.

Yea mine is also and this week has been the worst so so far it’s cost me £16 just on non uniform days where they come to school in their own clothes but must pay £2, it’s been on 4 out of 5 days this week then we had to pay for the kids to have tea party food and wear their Christmas jumpers then pay for Christmas dinner and oh did I mention there was no Christmas pantomime this year that we usually go and see that the kids have put on so instead they recorded it and sold it for £14 a copy!! And that was just for each year group so if you have more than 1 child in the school and need to pay £14 for each dvd of their Christmas play plus all these £2 here and there for non uniform plus all the party food money. There is also cake sales where the parents make cakes and sell them, teachers are standing on the school gates with buckets of coins shaking them at you as you walk past, I mean it’s Christmas time and it’s been a hard year to start with not everyone has all this spare money because I certainly don’t!

I just ignore the requests. Recently our school asked for money for a new it hub. This was after they spent £200000 for consultants on how to get ofsted outstanding. That was my last donation to the school.

I realise that this will be an unpopular opinion, but I often feel that women who post on MN about wanting a large family should be directed to threads like this.

Just ignore it.

Yep, let's implement a one child policy like China did that way no one will be short of school donations as there will be no large families.

@DJattheendoftheworld

Ours expect a direct debit of £120 a month. I just can't afford it. It's a state school!

That's beyond a joke tbh, especially with so many families struggling due to job losses/hours being cut because of the pandemic. Many families were struggling financially even before then. I was working this time last year, but not now, as a result of now having no working hours available, due to how Covid impacted my place of work this year. Husband works full-time and we just about manage, but there is no way on earth we could do a direct debit like that each month for my children's school. What planet are they on?!

@ user1490954378 sadly the planet of rising costs, underfunding, historic deficit, rising pupil numbers, teacher redundancy and increased government demands.
Unfortunately the only way that schools can make ends almost meet is to squeeze the teachers and parents, who are feeling the pressure themselves. It’s not looking good for the future of anyone.
Take care, look after your family and leave the school to try to cope it if you’re short yourself. They do understand, they are just up against it trying to keep it going for the students, just as we try to keep it going for our kids at home.

@blowinahoolie

Yep, let's implement a one child policy like China did that way no one will be short of school donations as there will be no large families.

Bingo

@Ginfordinner

I realise that this will be an unpopular opinion, but I often feel that women who post on MN about wanting a large family should be directed to threads like this.

No, I agree with you. Children are bloody expensive, dh and I always joke about how rich we’d be if we stayed childless. (Wouldn’t change it for the world though)!

I know circumstances can change but most responsible people do try and plan for adversities if they can. If you can’t afford to save a bit or plan for a change in circumstances then multiple children is probably not the best idea! It’s an unpopular opinion I know.

How about every parent hereon in bases the way they vote on the way that government's plan to resource and support their children's education and futures?

And spare us this crowdfunding approach, that totally compounds all inequalities, and is massively inefficient?

(I think 99% of PTA members buzz off it though, tbh, though they pretend otherwise)

We can be unpopular together then @Watermelon888 .
I wasn't advocating the single child family restrictions that China has done, but thinking of people who decide to have a third, fourth, fifth etc child.

I honestly think they underestimate just how expensive having children is once they reach primary school age and older.

I reaise that sometimes events happen beyond he control of the parents, especially this year with job losses and illness, but it is still a consideration.

Now in my 12th year of my dc being at primary school, and yes, it is par for the course but the recent demands are becoming ridiculous now.
Just this year due to fundraising opportunities having being missed because of covid, our school has asked for the direct debit. I have ignored it.
I truly understand that they are cut to the bone but the whole point of fundraising etc is that as well as the cash it generates, that the children experience something from it - school fair, disco, movie & hot dog etc. Giving cash and then the children not enjoying a school experience is actually pretty poor.
I'd rather the school asked for donations of pencils, pens, lightbulbs, equipment as parents work in all different fields of work and someone could probably donate these things?
We are not rich, not hard up either BUT those parents who think it is ok to openly donate £100s for events in the way of supplying food, drinks etc should be ashamed. In my experience, it is never donated anonymously and the headteacher even highlights this in the newsletter which of course makes all other parents feel guilty - not a very caring or supportive thing to do imo.

I can assure you that nobody's pockets are being lined as a result of PTA fundraising activities.

In the school where I work all money raised by the parents goes directly towards things that enhance the children's enjoyment of their education and time at school, eg. playground equipment, trips, visitors... Most people agree trips are very important and memorable for the kids (especially those whose families never take them anywhere) but a bus costs HUNDREDS just for one trip. Most schools are not within walking distance of an abundance of interesting destinations so the bus is pretty essential, but there's no official budget for transport. A lot of charities will pay for entry into a museum or whatever, or donate equipment, but getting money to hire a coach is much harder (presumably because it's so boring).

Without the parents' donations, for which we are very grateful, there would be far fewer opportunities to make school fun and memorable.

Teachers do their bit too. I'm constantly buying bits and bobs for my class. I rarely see that money back.