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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To suggest our head teacher starts asking for parent contributions?

81 replies

OperaStation · 23/10/2022 19:57

It seems as though many of you pay a regular sum or money to your schools to help with their finances. Our primary school has not requested this but I think they should. The school is in a wealthy area with very well off parents.

I read on a thread earlier that someone was paying £30 per year. This seems very low. I would happily pay a few hundred (obviously not everyone can afford this - I do realise that - but the demographic at our school mostly could).

Would I be unreasonable to propose to the school that they introduce an optional annual contribution from parents? I imagine they will have considered it but it must be a difficult thing for them to raise.

Also, how many of you with school age children are already doing this?

OP posts:
SavoirFlair · 23/10/2022 20:05

Yes you would be unreasonable. Do you sit on the governance board? Do you know the school’s finances and what they need?

at a time when many households face pressure, to try and then place more pressure on people to contribute to something is worthy at best, but I would say downright superior and cruel at worst.

Yes schools matter, funding for schools matter and parent contributions undoubtedly help, but why are you getting invested in this when your sole piece of evidence so far seems to be “Mumsnetters contribute a fair bit , but I could give £100s so others should too”…

YABU

DarlingDarwin · 23/10/2022 20:06

YABU. What an odd post. If they want money, they’ll ask for it. Also what would the PTA fill their time with if they weren’t constantly demanding money from the parents?

Dalaidramailama · 23/10/2022 20:07

I wouldn’t suggest that.

My son is in secondary and every year I pay a contribution of 20 pounds for subjects such as art, tech, food tech etc. Around 100 pounds so this will double when my daughter goes up. School is not in an affluent area. The payments are voluntary but most parents do pay. It’s that or they drop the subjects I think. God knows. It is ridiculous isn’t it?

PunchyAnts · 23/10/2022 20:08

Everyone who earns enough to pay taxes is making a regular monthly contribution to education. I am a teacher who buys stationery, display supplies and other learning equipment from my own pocket regularly.

I would be horrified at the thought of our school writing to parents asking them to make a financial contribution. Parents are already giving generously of their limited time as well as regular pound coins here, there and everywhere.

Yes, schools are underfunded. Write to your MP. Vote with this underfunding in mind. Turning the burden back onto parents is unacceptable.

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 23/10/2022 20:09

You’d be better speaking to the PTA and making a donation to them and maybe put a bid in as well

FourEyesGood · 23/10/2022 20:09

YABU. State school education should be funded by the state. If the state is not providing enough, more pressure should be put on the state, not on the individual. If the state won’t fund education properly (it won’t), the people need to vote for change. Idealistic, I know, but this is how it should be.

SavoirFlair · 23/10/2022 20:12

LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 23/10/2022 20:09

You’d be better speaking to the PTA and making a donation to them and maybe put a bid in as well

I agree 100% with this. But the OP claims “I imagine they will have considered it but it must be a difficult thing for them to raise.”.

Difficult to raise? Show me a PTA that doesn’t ask for money!

I wonder why they are thinking for the PTA already, I wonder if they even know the PTA or have any idea of the school’s financiers or setup

DeathMetalMum · 23/10/2022 20:12

I remember back in the 90's we had 'school fund' where we took in 20p each week. Ours does ask for a voluntary donation, I think it's £30 I don't pay it though we're not an affluent area at all.

Skelligsfeathers · 23/10/2022 20:17

Would be pointless at our school as nobody would give. We always have massive shortfalls for things like trips. Clubs that were hugely popular when free had no takers when we asked a pound a week contribution etc
Schools should be funded by the government.

BendingSpoons · 23/10/2022 20:17

My parents were asked for a voluntary contribution of £10 a month 20 years ago. I often say to DH that I would rather give £50 at the start of the year than be asked constantly for time and money all year. The issue is that people will feel obliged even if they can't afford it.

EmmaDilemma5 · 23/10/2022 20:20

School fund is very common. It's totally voluntary but makes big impact on the extra funding available so I'd assume most parents who could would want to help.

My preschool, which I pay for, ask for voluntary contributions which I always pay. They go above and beyond for my kids so I'm more than happy to help them buy the extra provisions.

kitcat15 · 23/10/2022 20:21

I never contributed a penny when mine were at school.( apart from trips out) ....and now my DD never does either with her DD ....she says they ask all the time though

senua · 23/10/2022 20:26

Would I be unreasonable to propose to the school that they introduce an optional annual contribution from parents?
Before I say whether YABU or not, could you please clarify something for me please?
Is this fund for the benefit of children of this "wealthy area with very well off parents" or for a poor school that you have ongoing links with.

Ffsmakeitstop · 23/10/2022 20:26

Absolutely not. My DC are adults now so my opinion may not matter. But we've had countless threads on here from people who earn a very decent wage and are scared stiff that they won't cope with increased prices. Maybe lobby your MP to make them pay the correct funds instead of decreasing the education budget.
I find it morally wrong that teachers have to fund their own supplies.

LittlePinkBalloon · 23/10/2022 20:27

You can suggest anything you like, they don’t have to take up the suggestion. Also, if it’s voluntary, people don’t have to give anything or they can give what they can afford. At my school our parents were asked for a £5 per term parent contribution. Would have raised about £4k a term if everyone paid.

RunAwayTurnAwayRunAwayTurnAway · 23/10/2022 20:29

What are the implications and responsibilities on schools fundraising in this way? Do they have to declare and pay tax on funds, for instance? Report on the use and impact of the funds?

I seem to remember a thread from way back where a swish, alpha-headteacher of a 'normal' secondary was requesting £900 annual contributions from families. I'm imaging he wore an expensive suit and was about 12. I think it was per child too. Cynically £900/year amounts to the child benefit for the eldest child; greedy bugger with his eyes on that.

Lozzybear · 23/10/2022 20:30

My DS1’s secondary asks for a minimum
contribution of £10 per month. We pay £20 per month.

Itstarts · 23/10/2022 20:35

YABU. There are very strict rules for what PTA/school fund can be used for (and what you're suggesting would count as school fund).

Schools need money for wages, specialists like EPs/SaLT/OT and general running costs like electricity bills and printing.

£100 per parent for extras like trips/workshops, whilst great, would not fix years of underfunding for essentials.

iloveyankeecandle · 23/10/2022 20:48

I am a parent in what is probably called a well off area. However, I am most certainly not! I contribute to pta events when I can. But I really cannot afford to start giving to the school for two
Children.

Original poster
OperaStation · 23/10/2022 21:05

EmmaDilemma5 · 23/10/2022 20:20

School fund is very common. It's totally voluntary but makes big impact on the extra funding available so I'd assume most parents who could would want to help.

My preschool, which I pay for, ask for voluntary contributions which I always pay. They go above and beyond for my kids so I'm more than happy to help them buy the extra provisions.

Thank you. This is exactly what I’m referring to. I don’t know why I’m being attacked for suggesting my school implements something that so many other already seem to do and so many other parents seem to willingly contribute to.

For the avoidance of doubt, this would be voluntary and we don’t have a PTA (long story) so money is not being requested/raised elsewhere. Given the demo graphics of the school it seems a massive missed opportunity.

OP posts:
Original poster
OperaStation · 23/10/2022 21:07

senua · 23/10/2022 20:26

Would I be unreasonable to propose to the school that they introduce an optional annual contribution from parents?
Before I say whether YABU or not, could you please clarify something for me please?
Is this fund for the benefit of children of this "wealthy area with very well off parents" or for a poor school that you have ongoing links with.

This is for the school that my children go to which is in a wealthy area. I have no connection with any other school. What an odd question.

OP posts:
Original poster
OperaStation · 23/10/2022 21:09

Itstarts · 23/10/2022 20:35

YABU. There are very strict rules for what PTA/school fund can be used for (and what you're suggesting would count as school fund).

Schools need money for wages, specialists like EPs/SaLT/OT and general running costs like electricity bills and printing.

£100 per parent for extras like trips/workshops, whilst great, would not fix years of underfunding for essentials.

Surely it can be used for stationary and classroom supplies? on the one hand there are teachers on this thread saying they pay for this stuff out of their own pocket and on the other there are people saying it’s ridiculous for parents to help to fund this. Which is it?

OP posts:
Original poster
OperaStation · 23/10/2022 21:10

SavoirFlair · 23/10/2022 20:12

I agree 100% with this. But the OP claims “I imagine they will have considered it but it must be a difficult thing for them to raise.”.

Difficult to raise? Show me a PTA that doesn’t ask for money!

I wonder why they are thinking for the PTA already, I wonder if they even know the PTA or have any idea of the school’s financiers or setup

Show quote history

There is no PTA. I know the school is struggling financially, the head teacher has told me as much.

OP posts:
BobStrangeNameforaGirl · 23/10/2022 21:13

DD's secondary school ask for £30 a year for one child or £50 for more than one. It's on parent pay and you can pay/not pay as you want, £5 here and there as you can afford it. We willingly pay.

Original poster
OperaStation · 23/10/2022 21:14

SavoirFlair · 23/10/2022 20:05

Yes you would be unreasonable. Do you sit on the governance board? Do you know the school’s finances and what they need?

at a time when many households face pressure, to try and then place more pressure on people to contribute to something is worthy at best, but I would say downright superior and cruel at worst.

Yes schools matter, funding for schools matter and parent contributions undoubtedly help, but why are you getting invested in this when your sole piece of evidence so far seems to be “Mumsnetters contribute a fair bit , but I could give £100s so others should too”…

YABU

“Parental contributions undoubtably help” yet you describe my suggestion as “superior and cruel”?

It would be a voluntary contribution, as is the case in schools that have already implemented this.

And as for evidence, what evidence would you like me to gather? We all know that schools are underfunded, there are yet more people right here saying that they are happy to provide some financial support to their schools, what more do you need?

OP posts: