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?

Maybe those of you who think schools have loads of money to burn should become a governor and then find out what the true position is.

If schools are academies their accounts should be available on their website. If schools are academies there will be wages for CEOs etc, but if state maintained a top slice of income is syphoned off by the LEA before the funds even reach the school

@DJattheendoftheworld

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

Wow. A lot of people wouldn't be able to afford that. (or just wouldn't pay on principle!) So, thats £120 x 12 = £1440 per year. (even if just 25 parents do pay the full amount per month that's a very significant amount of money) Time by 7 years (Reception to Y6) and that's over £10k per child.

The ones I really don't get are when children are expected to buy clothing that they otherwise wouldn't have wanted/needed - like Pudsey clothes/accessories or Christmas jumpers (all of which will get extremely limited use and will be too small to use again next year) and then pay again for the privilege of having had to spend a tenner on additional clothes.

I know those ones are often for charity rather than the school themselves, but it's still very irritating when you're expected to find £11 in order to donate 'just a pound'.

How come primary schools have iPads for every pupil in a class but can't afford pencils? A sibling worked in council 12yrs ago and saw the money schools were pissing up the walls, £3k office/reception desk, £2k signage - all to get more funding. Spending was becoming misplaced. It's not fair on kids or parents who can't afford it - Christmas jumper day, Christmas sock day, raffle tickets, etc.

Maybe those of you who think schools have loads of money to burn should become a governor and then find out what the true position is.

I don't think that they have money to burn - it's just when they seem to think that I do.

None of it is actually mandatory though, is it?
I mean, it's really horrible for the kids being the only one left out, but they don't have to wear a Christmas jumper or dress as a book character or whatever other shite they come out with.

Our 1 form entry primary school has lost £20k since March. It’s not an academy, just a bog standard LEA primary school.
Most of the money has been lost from the before/after school club and the rent from outside groups, that’s money the school will never get back.

Are you in Scotland, England, Wales or Northern Ireland?

England

This year has been much more difficult as all the normal fundraising events you might typically get in a year e.g. summer and Christmas fairs, school discos, quiz nights and other fundraising events haven't been possible because of covid. So normal fundraising incomes have been slashed. Add to that and schools have had to find money for increased cleaning materials, tissues, hand sanitizer, soap and individual stationery sets for pupils, it has meant they're struggling. I agree I would far rather donate money each month than drip feed it.

The parents at my dcs school are falling over themselves to donate money. There are regular photos of them with the head with a thank you when they get freebies from companies for the school. It makes me feel like shit, probably doesn’t make sense but I do.

The reality is that schools are massively underfunded, on top of which their ability to top up the funds has been enormously reduced because they can't rent out their premises etc during Covid. Although you say you would prefer to just donate in one lump some, most people then complain that it's too much in one go. So Schools can't win either way.

Well said willsa. One DC is at a CoE school and it’s constant. We’ve been asked for £3 so far this month and that’s not including the money for the PTA raffle tickets Even worse, we a have a dress up day tomorrow (Stone Age) and also have to bring in a list of party food for the children’s last day on Thursday.

Do you mean the school or PTA as they're usually separate things? Money paid to the school will either by for an external charity or school funds; whereas PTA is usually for extra curricular stuff.
At least that's how it is at my daughters school, though so far the school haven't asked for money towards funding just charity fundraising. I'm the chair of the PTA & we've only run a couple of fundraising activities (optional) but have used that money to buy all the kids a Christmas present which was delivered by Santa today along with their Christmas meal.

Our school’s are always having fundraisers. Budgets are tight. One year the money paid for audio visual equipment, another year for more sports equipment. The elementary just raised 9k from their readathon (1100 students) which I thought was amazing. They also do book fair, penguin patch (buy an Xmas gift for family), spring fundrAiser with raffles etc. One think I like is they partner with a local restaurant for ‘spirit night’ they give between 10-20% of sales back to the school. Our band raises $2-300 each time for band expenses or subsidising trips.

Whoops... I meant to say they just asked the state for money for reimbursement of equipment for kids learning virtually and they dished out $500m overall to the state. If they can find that in the coffers this year there is no reason they can’t every year tbh.

I suppose it depends what the money is for.

A lot of schools are getting funding cuts. Also schools will get extra funding for certain things, having x number of children enrolled, children with SENs, if teachers or HTs hold certain positions with groups or foundations they might get extra funding for the school. And it’s these things that can keep the schools afloat. If they get cut it can have a huge impact on the school. I know my DCs school has been running at a loss for a couple of years now.

Also the ptfa fundraise through the school as well as other groups that may have a connection with the school. Our school ptfa pay for things like the annual pantomime trip, school leavers jumpers, they recently bought some iPads for the year six class to use.

I can't believe what I'm reading. Donate or not, it's not mandatory. PTAs are raising money to benefit your children because unfortunately the government doesn't think schools are top priority. If you can't afford it, that's fine. Of all things I would give my money to, my kids' school is top of the list.

Our school is really suffering from the lack of PTA events this year. The capital budget provided to the school to pay for things like laptops, electronic whiteboards and any significant refurbishment required is pitiful. So much of the equipment is on its last legs. The school has a plan of how it will use the PTA raised funds in the next 3 years as part of the school's overall financial plan, but covid has blown a hole in that.

I do wonder how other schools manage - I see schools with a general TA in each primary class every morning. There's no way we could afford that.

School budgets have been eroded over the past 9 years They have no extra money for all the extra cleaning etc caused by the Covid pandemic and my child' secondary school has had to handout thousands of face masksto pupils whose parents can't be bothered to follow the rules and provide them for their children. Plus many schools have lost huge chunks off income cthey can't rent out the school hall now. And you know when the government makes an announcement that teachers are going to get a payrise? Do you thinthat the governmetn gives them the extra money for that? Nope, it had to come out of the school budget which has already been agreed and ever penny already accounted for.

What would happen if we all just stopped and schools literally ran out of money? Would the government be forced to give more funding or would they just allow schools to close and children not have a place?

You would have a school with no resources.

I take the approach with fundraising that I give what I can when I can.

Football chocolate drive I paid the amount they would make out of me if I had eaten all the chocolates just to not have to take the chocolate box.
School is a bit the same, if I can get away with just a Direct donation here and there and ignore the other little fundraising I will.
I don’t ever feel guilt in ignoring specific campaigns, I don’t care about winning a hamper, I know parents have worked hard to raise money but my sanity is important too.

My child's school is the same, only due to Covid stopping trips and other activities, has made it a bit less expensive this year.