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Original poster

Parent helpers at private school

20 replies

MistyB · 25/04/2012 10:38

Do parents help in school at private school? Things like listening to reading, helping with clubs, going on outings, helping with the school garden, etc or do they generally thank you for your money and wave goodbye at the door?

OP posts:
MoreBeta · 25/04/2012 10:41

They like parent helpers to go on school trips usually - especially Pre-prep.

I went on one and it was quite a fun day out.

Shanghaidiva · 25/04/2012 10:43

My children are at private school and I help with reading in years one and two, go on the occasional trip and run the school library.

MarshaBrady · 25/04/2012 10:43

Not reading or school garden, but yes to trips.

And help with swimming for us too.

silverfrog · 25/04/2012 10:43

at dd2's school parents help out with:

swimming (getting changed before and after, etc)
any 'extra' activity within class - eg baking bread, growing beanstalks, collecting and looking after the frogspawn/tadpoles/forgs, sorting out the guinea pigs etc.

there are always a couple of parents around each day doing somethign or other; not so much the listening to reading, but the clubs, outings, and extras, yes.

MarshaBrady · 25/04/2012 10:44

Loads of assemblies, pta things, sports days etc so there is a fair bit going on.

Moshlingmummy · 25/04/2012 10:46

Not in my experience, they may ask you on school trips as I assume ratios are lower when out of school. Have been on a couple but they also sometimes just take extra staff like deputy head etc who may not actually have a class.

In 3 years have never been asked to go in and help at dc's school. They are listened to read every day by teacher, ta or the librarian. Clubs are run by the teachers, or specialist ones by external people.

I guess when you have a class of 16 with teacher and Ta you don't need so much extra help, in reception they alo had a second Ta.

Moshlingmummy · 25/04/2012 10:46

Oh forgot the PTA go in and help at things too ...

weblette · 25/04/2012 10:50

IME it depends on the school.

Dd's school had one or two parents who helped out with reading, at the ds's school parents aren't involved with core subjects but things like sewing and teaching road safety.

MrsMcEnroe · 25/04/2012 10:53

At DD's private school I have helped out at PTA events (cake sales, fetes etc), taken some of our chickens to school for show & tell, helped out on school trips .... Other parents help with gardening, cooking with the kids etc.

Only teachers and TAs do the core subjects - parent helpers are not encouraged to help with reading (probably something to do with the competitiveness of these things ...!)

dixiechick1975 · 25/04/2012 11:12

Active PTA.

Parents go into classes if they have a skill relevant to a topic eg dentist, Dr, fireman, mum with a new baby.

Help with school garden.

In classrooms - no -no mum helpers with reading etc.

Trips no. I guess due to small class sizes they can meet supervision ratios with existing staff.

CMOTDibbler · 25/04/2012 11:51

Only changing for swimming in KG/REC as far as I know. Sometimes a parent with a job specific to a topic might be asked to go in and talk about it

huptwothree · 25/04/2012 11:53

Not at ours, although the pta does a lot of fundraising. No to trips or to reading. they dont need them, they have lots of staff and not many kids!

ExitPursuedByABear · 25/04/2012 11:53

Yes at the prep my DD went to. Parents went in to help with reading and music and art. Plus trips, changing for swimming, walking them to the church for festivals etc.

I suppose it very much depends on the school.

wordfactory · 25/04/2012 12:56

Not reading at ours.
But they always wanted help on trips and theme days (roman day, tudor day etc). And yes, they wanted help with the PTA. Endless requests.

Original poster
MistyB · 25/04/2012 14:50

So ours is a little odd then!! No parents in the school apart from the ocassional fund raising event.

OP posts:
EldonAve · 25/04/2012 14:51

Trips only here

Beanbagz · 25/04/2012 14:57

They like parent helpers at my DCs school.

There's a few regulars who help out with the reading and after school activities.

In Pre Prep they always need extra helpers on school trips (both me & my DH have been on trips) and i've been with the Juniors too. Both of us have been know to help out with art projects at school.

Occasionally parents go in to talk to children about their area of expertise. I went in to talk about Vietnam (as i'd been on holiday there and they were covering that area in Geography), we've had dentists, doctors, lawyers & an archeologist give talks too.

MoreBeta · 25/04/2012 15:00

Now you've gone and done it!

Don't mention the PTA - this thread is bound to end in a bunfight.

LAlady · 25/04/2012 19:29

I reorganised and ran the school library for a year. Also ran the leavers event one year Both very time consuming though.

StillSquiffy · 26/04/2012 13:25

No parents in school apart form PTA activities.

But parents are expected to turn up at loads of random 'events' and at least some of the school matches.

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