PTA - raising valuable funds vs an extortion racquet

[RoadRunner1982]

£10 per child to take part in Christmas activities (craft, theatre production) during the school day.....reasonable??

Correct, I wouldn't complain if there were no e,

But I would complain if DC were divided like sheep and goats, and those whose parents can't or won't pay being excluded

If you read all the way through my earlier post, you will see that I support an inclusive model along the lines that schools are obliged to follow.

OP did not specify whether the payment was compulsory - thread title suggests it is, and that is wrong.

is it worded as a voluntary contribution or a charge ?

@Hoppinggreen

Definitely extortion When I was PTA chair we took all the money for ourselves and spent it on manicures and Gin while laughing at the fools who gave it to us and then who complained we hadn’t done everything to their liking while not giving up their own precious time. We certainly didn’t use the money to plug the huge gaps in the school budget that meant the children would have had no enrichment activities. And it sure as hell wasnt a lot of work to organise a great time for the kids while raising much needed funds at the same time. Still didn’t mean my kid got to be Mary either (probably as well - he would have been mortified)

Yes 🙌 Also my experience of PTA is if you are on pupil premium etc you can get it free/massively discounted (if there is any money left from Champneys outing for committee of course)

Absolutely
Money would always be found so every child could join in, often out of the pocket of the PTA members.
I really wish I had had a protecting racquet though, I could have used it to beat more Gin money out of people

PROTECTION Racquet I mean!!

There shouldn't be any charge to take part in in-school activities during the school day

I agree that perhaps there shouldn't be fundraising taking place during the school day. Kids have to be in school so it does seem a bit unfair to be requesting money during tha time

It seems odd that the PTA are charging for events happening during school hours. In school time activities would normally be done on a voluntary donation, at an amount suggested by the school.

We ran all our paid for activities outside school hours, so it was a choice to take part and pay, or not. Then money went to the school, who then spent it on whatever we'd agreed, that could have been a theatre event if they'd wanted, but pupils/parents wouldn't be charged for that, because the outside school hours fundraising would have paid for it.

Craft activities that were charged for,were done as an activity in school,where the item could be bought by the parent afterwards, not all did, but enough to make it worth doing, and all the children had the experience of the making.

I always think the PTA have a funny role, they need to raise money for the schools, but it’s also about providing fun stuff and the community aspect of the school (fetes, Christmas fairs etc). So they need to strike a balance to make sure it’s inclusive for all as well as raising money.

£10 is not inclusive, especially if you have a 2/3 in the school

£5 here for pta class made Xmas decoration.
I have 3 kiddies ..of course teacher has told them you must bring in money to take home your decoration 😱🙄

Op hasn't said but if it's an external theatre company coming in then most of the money is probably towards their costs.
DD is going to the theatre next week. The cost is £12 per child which includes transport to and from the theatre.

Our school PTA is non-existent since COVID and lockdown but in previous years they'd send a large paper cup home with a note asking parents to fill with items of their choice and label with boy/girl and what age the contents would suit. Lots of parents came up with some brilliant ideas like filling with a small pack of crayons, some printed colouring pages and gel pens or a cake in a cup recipe with a printout of the recipe . These would then be sold for£1.50 at the Christmas lights switch on at a local park.

I think it's ok as long as the child is not excluded from activities if their parents can't/won't pay.

I'm not sure why it's relevant that it's during the school day - after all, trips are always during the school day, and payment is asked for that.

I assume this is a primary school - wait until 'enrichment week' at secondary school (all the local schools here do this). Lots of activities to pick and choose from - some on site, some off site- but so expensive! And if you don't pay, you don't go (although they do also offer a few free ones)

@Hoppinggreen thank you SO much for the laugh, needed that today

@GoGoGretaDoll yes this is the sort of thing fundraising covers, but you might have noticed a rediction in school fayres and events the last couple of years?

I'm massively in favour of these activities taking place in the school day as long as no child is excluded, saves me shelpping to the school on the weekend to spend a few quid on tat

I don't think its acceptable to have a paid for activity during the school day that isn't a voluntary contribution. It seems really divisive.

I'm new to this constantly being tapped for money as my son has just started in Reception. We have a raffle situation where we were all asked to buy an item for the hamper, and then tickets were being sold to win the hamper. I was asked to provide an item which I spent £3 on and then found the raffle tickets were only being sold for 50p, as its the raffle ticket money that is going to the group I didn't want to only give them 50p so I bought £3 worth of tickets but am now overthinking if it was odd to buy so many tickets :/ I kinda wish I could have just given the whole £6 to the group!

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

£2.50 for Christmas party food (free for FSM and infants, its instead of lunch) £2.50 for Christmas Dinner (Free for FSM and infants £1.50 for pantomime snacks £1 for Santa's grotto £1 for Christmas jumper day £0 for Ice skating £0 for Santa dash

A lot added up (especially for two kids) but a lot happening. And all optional (you can see the pantomime without snacks and take a pack lunch to the party and Christmas dinner).

So for £8.50 your child gets to take part in seven Christmas activities that other people have spent time organising while you don’t have to lift a finger.

I can see why you are probably MN fuming.

@aroundtheworld, sorry, re read, you aren’t fuming.

[quote viques]@aroundtheworld, sorry, re read, you aren’t fuming.[/quote]
No I'm definitely impressed!

This is the fourth school my children have spent significant time at. Two were MOD schools, with funding coming out of their ears. We didn't pay for anything. Third had a high proportion of FSM children, with a lot of fundraising to make things like school trips possible, so little left over for extra things. This last school is a reasonably affluent area with loads of donations Nd parents able to afford extras. I'm amazed at the effort they go to. But they thing nothing of asking parents for money quite frequently to do stuff.

@Hoppinggreen

Definitely extortion When I was PTA chair we took all the money for ourselves and spent it on manicures and Gin while laughing at the fools who gave it to us and then who complained we hadn’t done everything to their liking while not giving up their own precious time. We certainly didn’t use the money to plug the huge gaps in the school budget that meant the children would have had no enrichment activities. And it sure as hell wasnt a lot of work to organise a great time for the kids while raising much needed funds at the same time. Still didn’t mean my kid got to be Mary either (probably as well - he would have been mortified)

This.

@RoadRunner1982 As treasurer for pta for a number of years, we certainly wouldn't devise this. All fun activities during the school day we would raise funds for ahead of time - particularly for Christmas - so panto groups, party, fun activities - so no child would be left out or even have to think about affordability or putting their parents under any (additional) duress.

And that's a shame @Outnumbered99 but the solution isn't to put pressure on parents to pay money to access activities in school time. Don't know if you've noticed there's been a corresponding rise in child poverty and over the past couple of years too, as well as a reduction in benefits only a few weeks' ago.

Activities taking place in school and during school hours = contribution can be asked for but should be voluntary.

Activities taking part outside of school (theatre trip etc) = can be charged for and those that pay go.

Activites taking part outside of school hours = can be charged for and those that pay go.

Activities taking place in school and during school hours = contribution can be asked for but should be voluntary

Correct - it has to be voluntary

Activities taking part outside of school (theatre trip etc) = can be charged for and those that pay go

No, you cannot exclude DC on the basis of whether they have paid. If not everyone can be taken, then the trip must be cancelled. From my time in the PTA, much of our fundraising proceeds went to making up the shortfall so trips could go ahead

Activites taking part outside of school hours = can be charged for and those that pay go

Correct

Unless they are curriculum trips (such as those required eg necessary field trip for Geograghy), in which case they must be free for everyone.

So far we've been asked for

£4 for Christmas party (happening during school day).
£1 for a letter from Santa (the letter is to the whole class, not individual DC).
£2.50 for Christmas lunch.
Buy a bottle for the raffle.
Buy raffle tickets for the chance to win back your bottle.
DC also came home with three party bags that we have been asked to fill with "sweets and small toys" for the Christmas fete.
£5 to contribute to present for class teacher.
£5 to contribute to present for class TA's.

All voluntary but I feel bad for families who are struggling financially and feel pressured to do these things in the run up to Christmas.