No pta and no parents communication group

[Slytherinforme]

My son has just started a new primary school. I have found out there is no pta and it was disbanded when the current principal came into her role. There are no class reps and no encouragement of what's app groups for parents.i have asked about formation of pta but I know I will be told no as many others have been in the past. I asked would the school send out a link to a what's app group to allow parents to communicate and this was a no as well. It really feels like the principal is actively discouraging communication between the parents and the school and the parents and each other.

I see this as major red flags and am considering a school change for my son. AIBU?

Most schools don’t get involved with WhatsApp surely?

we arranged it ourselves via a class year private Facebook group and moved it over to WA

if there is no PTA do they not do events?

It's only on mumsnet that I've seen parents WhatsApp groups. My kids have been to a couple of schools and never had them. And from all the angst they seem to cause it's probably a good thing!

I've never known of any school involvement in a What'sApp group. At my children's schools, someone just takes the initiative to start one and add a few people they know, who add people they know etc.

PTAs are actually a LOT of work for school staff who are already overworked and underpaid! WhatsApp groups - just get each others numbers and put in some leg work - our school has WhatsApp groups but the school isn’t involved in them.

We have parent WhatsApp groups for each class at my DDs school, but these are set up by parents every year, school has no involvement.

PTA needs many parents to function -
think chair, treasurer, admin person etc …
it’s a massive undertaking -
it’s not a ‘red flag’ that the school has no PTA -
it’s a reflection that in society it is almost impossible to get volunteers to take on these roles !!

class what’sapp groups ???
more hassle than it’s worth !!!
not a red flag at all there they aren’t encouraged -

i can imagine the utter bollocks that gets reported to teachers / heads / schools about poxy what’sapp groups !!

No PTA is a bit strange though, how do they do events and fundraisers? Our school always has fun events on for the children, and lots of fundraising, there’s always new equipment bought every year from funds raised by the PTA.

If you want a class WhatsApp group, start one.
Make a few friends add them to a group and ask them to add others and there you go.

But they really aren’t necessary - they weren’t a thing when my kids were young and we all found out everything we needed to know.

Read the school emails and letters home and you’ll be fine.

Our school doesn't have a PTA or a WhatsApp groups and it's excellent. We're 4 years in and I've not felt the need for either.

Our PTA is pretty much run by staff as parents won’t get involved, and the staff have enough to do as it is, so it’s an extra burden on top. What’s App groups are the work of the devil😇

We have 2 very active class WhatsApp groups (only 2 classes in the school) set up by parents. All very civilised. Mostly used for arranging after school paddleboarding, for whole class party invites (in the KS1 class), and reminding each other of important dates, events etc.

School is mostly middle class professional parents so i think most people understand how to act on a screenshotable shared group.

Sounds brilliant to me.

I left the parents WhatsApp groups cos they were pointless and annoying.

Full of pointless questions that could be answered by just checking your own email or googling.

They were definitely set up by a parent though not school.

Although no PTA slightly more concerning as that would surely mean no extra funding for "fun" stuff?

Ours raise money for school books, tablets, props for school plays, playground equipment. That would be a concern cos they've funded some really good stuff... Must be nice not to have to worry about going to meetings and organising school fairs etc tho...no fun at all but glad they benefitted the kids.

Our year group WhatsApp is primarily asking questions that can be answered 99% of the time with ‘we were sent an email’. So you’re not missing much!

Our school has no PTA - summer and Xmas fair is organised by teachers and support staff, class fundraisers by class teachers. No class wattsapp groups.
But I have a mouth and are quite capable of talking to other parents at pick up and drop off. I can phone school to talk to staff or speak to senior team on the gate.
I don't think it's a red flag or they're trying to silence and isolate the parents

Lack of parent WhatsApp group is so far removed from being a red flag I don’t know where to start.

PTA requires parent volunteers who have to do all the shit work then get criticised for doing so by the non contributing parents. No wonder there isn’t one no one’s mug enough to do it.

I think YABU. The school doesn’t want a PTA so you need to accept that.

Any WhatsApp groups will be parent led and nothing to do with the school. Just get a few numbers yourself and ask them to spread the word. Many people deliberately avoid the groups because they are generally regurgitated information that the school has already sent interspersed with lost property or moaning.

PTA is hard work so lots of parents don’t ever volunteer sadly

Our class WhatsApp is just full of “who has Lucy’s jumper?” And “what day is PE?” Totally not required.

We have year group WhatsApp groups, but they’re set up by the parents. There’s no drama on them - yes sometimes it’s a bit annoying with “X has lost his jumper, can everyone look” but it’s more just people asking the odd question like what time do they need to be there for the school trip etc. generally they’re pretty quiet.
But like I said, no school involvement at all. You should just set one up if you want one. I wouldn’t expect the school to be involved.

It’s a shame about the PTA though. Ours raises a lot of money and the children do a lot of trips because all the coaches get funded by PTA money.

There's none of that at my youngest DCs school. I actually love that there isn't anything like that.

Thanks for input. I should have said for more context that it's an integrated school which is why I chose it. Have since found out that they have only invited one side of community to school for religious education. They have also recently cancelled all Halloween celebrations but not communicated why (although speculation it is a religious decision) and it is very clear that the teachers are scared of the head and they don't have a good relationship.

So I suppose with all of these things and the lack of wanting a pta it does feel like she's trying to keep the parents at arms length. Also I am yet to find one person who has said she's a nice person. Rather I am told 'she is a force and immovable on the way she runs things.'

And the teacher actively encouraged me to communicate my upset at Halloween issues as they miss them too.

Appreciate the input though.

I also have started a what's app group. I just wanted the school to send out the link to ensure everyone was part of it and no one was left out.

They must be involved somehow by giving the reps the mobile numbers?

You don’t need to have reps. You can have a WhatsApp group without them.