To think that schools do too many "pay a pound to..." days?

[NewSwimmingMum]

It isn't an issue for us to pay £1 here and there for mufti, odd socks, Christmas jumper etc, although remembering is a different matter!

Am I wrong to think it might add unnecessary pressure to families who are struggling? There will have been 2 in October, 2 in November and then at least 1 in December.

I guess one good thing is that it is a little more anonymous now school asks us to donate via the online payment system-at least a parent can imply to child they have paid. But not sure they should have to.

Nobody ever said how they knew people didn’t spend hours on school admin.

I kept out of it last time and don’t intend to argue about it here. But it was silly. I know a lot of parents, and we’re not spending hours on it, it’s 10 mins a week for us. Most wouldn’t have time to spend hours, others barely read their kids school report. 😬 All very silly.

School costing parents money is the issue and needs stop.

At my children's primary school they were not allowed to participate without a donation. So very clear which kids couldn't afford it. And that is a so-called "values school". My foot!

@QuiteQuaint

Nobody ever said how they knew people didn’t spend hours on school admin.

I kept out of it last time and don’t intend to argue about it here. But it was silly. I know a lot of parents, and we’re not spending hours on it, it’s 10 mins a week for us. Most wouldn’t have time to spend hours, others barely read their kids school report. 😬 All very silly.

School costing parents money is the issue and needs stop.

Do any of the people you know have processing issues that make information management difficult? Or literacy issues? Or complex family set ups meaning information has to be shared between multiple people on multiple days? Or lack of data making loading the information on different platforms difficult?

Do any of the people you know have processing issues that make information management difficult? Or literacy issues? Or complex family set ups meaning information has to be shared between multiple people on multiple days? Or lack of data making loading the information on different platforms difficult?

Yes. Some of those things. Still doesn’t take hours. And most people don’t have those issues anyway. Or if they do, they wouldn’t be willing to spend that much time on it. You’ve clearly got an issue with this and want to insist it’s a ‘part time job’ like others did. I don’t need the debate. Too much hard work for me. 🤣

@QuiteQuaint

Do any of the people you know have processing issues that make information management difficult? Or literacy issues? Or complex family set ups meaning information has to be shared between multiple people on multiple days? Or lack of data making loading the information on different platforms difficult?

Yes. Some of those things. Still doesn’t take hours. And most people don’t have those issues anyway. Or if they do, they wouldn’t be willing to spend that much time on it. You’ve clearly got an issue with this and want to insist it’s a ‘part time job’ like others did. I don’t need the debate. Too much hard work for me. 🤣

Or if they do, they wouldn’t be willing to spend that much time on it.

You are dangerously close to an epiphany here 🤣🤣

You are dangerously close to an epiphany here

Am I? 😬

@QuiteQuaint

You are dangerously close to an epiphany here

Am I? 😬

You are, yes.

You are, yes.

How so?

@QuiteQuaint

You are, yes.

How so?

Because you’re realising (slowly) that people who have the issues above need to spend much, much more time on it than you do - and they’re unwilling to spend that much time on it, hence the complaint.

And then along come people like you to tell them they’re lying because it doesn’t match your world view.

The issue on the school admin thread is that a lot of what people were complaining about probably wasn't something they needed to look at.
For example SatchelOne is a homework platform and parents can have login details to view their child's homework. No school I know expects parents to read every single notification about their child's homework, but it's there for those who want to check and it reduces the number of times parents call school complaining that their child was given a detention and didn't know they had homework.

Other people were complaining about WhatsApp groups being school admin, but most of my friends aren't in parent WhatsApp groups and get their information from the school so avoid wading through dozens of messages from parents surprised that sports day is on Friday when it's been in the newsletter for weeks, and on the website, and on the school social media platforms.

Because you’re realising (slowly) that people who have the issues above need to spend much, much more time on it than you do - and they’re unwilling to spend that much time on it, hence the complaint.

But for most people it doesn’t take that long. that’s all I’m saying. There will of course be some people who for whatever reason take longer over tasks. I know people who have a hard time with organisation, dyslexia, most of them just say fuck it. 😂 My advice to anyone who is finding school admin takes that long is to say fuck it. But it still doesn’t apply to many people.

If that’s an epiphany, cool! 🤣

@QuiteQuaint

Because you’re realising (slowly) that people who have the issues above need to spend much, much more time on it than you do - and they’re unwilling to spend that much time on it, hence the complaint.

But for most people it doesn’t take that long. that’s all I’m saying. There will of course be some people who for whatever reason take longer over tasks. I know people who have a hard time with organisation, dyslexia, most of them just say fuck it. 😂 My advice to anyone who is finding school admin takes that long is to say fuck it. But it still doesn’t apply to many people.

If that’s an epiphany, cool! 🤣

You’re welcome!

Oh god, the thread is now going to be another school admin one. 😂

You’re welcome!

Don’t take credit for my epiphany 🤣 .... not that I believe I had one. My thoughts are unchanged. I think the same now as I did before. It doesn’t take hours.

I’m off. Can’t cope with spending hours talking about the the thread about school admin with people who claim the admin takes hours. Where will it end. 🤣

@QuiteQuaint

You’re welcome!

Don’t take credit for my epiphany 🤣 .... not that I believe I had one. My thoughts are unchanged. I think the same now as I did before. It doesn’t take hours.

I’m off. Can’t cope with spending hours talking about the the thread about school admin with people who claim the admin takes hours. Where will it end. 🤣

I had to explain it to you, you didn’t even understand what it was!

And it does take hours for some people, we’ve already had that conversation. Enjoy your afternoon.

I had to explain it to you, you didn’t even understand what it was!

Aarrgghh! Didn’t understand what what was?

I don't mind giving £1 every now and again but what I don't like is if your child hasn't got the relevant outfit. So not only is it a £1, you have to spend many more £1s on a different coloured top if your child doesn't have one.

Yanbu, my DS's school ask for money for every non-uniform day and an additional £50 to top up the activities budget (I think this is only once per year). This is fine and I'm glad they do so much with the kids. What I don't agree with is that they ask it from everyone, including the families with multiple children and those on lower incomes. The even (IMO) guilt parents by sending out reminders with a percentage of people who've paid in the newsletter.

I agree with you and feel very sad at the thought of families, or worse - kids, having to worry about this.

My own personal annoyance is just the sheer number of things to remember…bake sales, mufti, school events. It’s time and organisation we struggle with and I’d rather write a cheque at the beginning of the year and have them leave us alone all year.

Thanks all-just been catching up with the thread. I agree too about the extra stuff that goes around the requests for pounds. I've always thought Christmas jumper day was a bit crazy. Luckily mine like wearing Christmas jumpers and don't mind charity shop ones or hand me downs. But to pay £1 and then buy a jumper that they neither need nor want seems crazy. And it's harder to get them to accept a hand made/up cycled one as they get older.

Ah well. At least tomorrow is "just" the £1!!

The odd pound here or there might not be a lot to some but to some it could be the choice of a loaf of bread or there child not being left out.
It’s also the “be a Victorian” “space theme” etc and the mufti days especially y5/6 and high school if you don’t have the latest trends brands etc it can be heartbreaking I was one of those children and I dreaded non uniform day
I’m glad I only have one in school now and just into high school have not had one thing yet since September we can afford it but it is a pain

My child was in tears today because a) something yellow was needed and b) £2 was needed. Child wanted to go to Asda last night to buy a Children in Need outfit. I resent having to worry about all this crap when I've a full time job and lots of other things to juggle.

I suppose tonight the usual affluent celebrities will be getting paid to tell us to "dig deep".

I suppose tonight the usual affluent celebrities will be getting paid to tell us to "dig deep".
I stopped watching years ago for this reason and feel the same about Comic Relief. The amount of money spent sending celebrities here, there and everywhere to make short emotional films could have gone to good causes.

I should add in here that I feel for schools a bit-I think ours is bowing to parental pressure on children in need-it wasn't one they did but masses of parents moaned about it. There is an element of no win.

I suppose tonight the usual affluent celebrities will be getting paid to tell us to "dig deep".

Many of who will make donations and give their time to help. You don’t have to watch, you don’t have to give.