In the past three weeks the Dses school has asked for

[saltire]

Bulbs and plants for "environment day" - in other words getting the parents to pay for daffodils and tulips for the school. Bring a gift for the tombola day, bring a gift for the Christmas hamper raffle day, today is non-uniform day, and they have to take in a gift for the christmas fayre. Next week they have film night - £3.50 per child, a school disco -£3.00 per child, plus drinks at £1, hot dogs at £1 and crisps at 50p. There has also been a cake morning,when parents had to take cakes in and then pay £2 to get them back again, a coffee morning, plus they have had £45 musci lesson money for DS2, £40 football money for DS1 and £145 for DS1's school trip.

I'm sick of it - and I know it's going to get worse!

As a PTA stalwart I know Christmas is always a really busy time, both in fundraising and in organising Christmas "treats" for the kids. However - your school is taking the mickey - sounds like poor planning and communication to me. I'm not surprised you're sick of it.

Blimey, agree with Hassled, they are taking the proverbial. That's far too much in one fortnight!

Our school does a lot of fundraising so we get many, many requests. But not this level or frequency.

I can't really complain, apart from the charity stuff it is all spent on the children and it's a great school.

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Does seem like an awful lot to be asking and of course you have the choice to take part or not but are made to feel guilty if you don't. The cost of the disco is fair enough but £1 for drinks and hot dogs? That's just plain greedy!

I know what you mean, I can totally see your point....but.....but......this is a state school at which presumably well qualified, expert teachers give a free, quality education. As well as that they are aiming to provide a pleasing environment (plants), run films and discos for the children's out of school fun, run a christmas fair to add to the fun and excitement of the christmas term for the kids, offer out of school clubs for the kids.....

It's a pretty rich environment they are trying to provide, all for ALMOST nothing.....just give what you can afford - forget the bulbs and cakes and just concentrate on paying for your ds' personal clubs/lessons etc. No-one will judge you for doing so. And let the rest wash over you, but maybe be a little appreciative of what they're trying to provide?

There is also a children's shopping day coming up, We have to donate a gift for that. The children are then sent in with money (not too sure about that bit) and the teachers then all help them choose a gift for their parents!

I have looked through the calendar . its ladies pamper night next week, as well as film night and disco night. Then there is pre-christmas shopping afternoon. Then in December there is 2 x school plays, children's christmas shopping day, carol service,lower school disco (prices as above) upper school disco(prices as above) and then class parties, all within a 2-3 weeks period!

Pamper night: don't go
Film night: not obligatory
Disco night: ditto
Children's shopping day: not obligatory, don't send if you can't afford
Carol Service: What's your problem with that?
Class parties: Ditto

Tis a bit spoilt/ungrateful to be so negative about all these things.

The Chair of your PTA is obviously set for world domination - or she/he needs to get a life.
It drives me crazy when PTAs organise things that are very hard for either skint parents or working parents (or both) to participate in - PTAs should be inclusive, and that means not bombarding stressed parents with demands. Get in there and stage a coup!

"this is a state school at which presumably well qualified, expert teachers give a free, quality education"

what do you mean "FREE"?

don't you pay tax?

they're not doing us a favour you know.

agree with the rest of your post though.

It sounds a bit OTT to me. I think it's great when schools try to go beyond the basics and offer lots of extra opportunities to children, but this sounds a bit much.

So far this year my daughter's school has only asked me to provide one pear and one loaf of freshly baked white bread (this was during French national taste week, when the children had breakfast at school every day) and I have provided things for an in-school party for my daughter's birthday (totally up to me what to provide).

I suspect your PTA are on speed

well yes Ami, I do pay tax. Free at point of use I should have said as in not costing £1000 out of your wages a month!

£3 plus £1 for drinks at the disco?!! Ours is £1 and a free drink and biscuit! And they still make loads of money.

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It is great that they are doing things for the children - but I'm objecting to so much in such a short space of time.
Plus at their last school the discos were £1 which included a drink, plus 50p extra for hotdogs. I suppose I ahve to accept I'm paying South of England prices now

Are they fund-raising for something specific at the moment (as explanation for all the activity) or do you think this is just the way it's done at your school generally?

saltire, maybe you could go along to the PTA with some fresh ideas. At ds' school they also do a Christmas shopping afternoon where the kids can buy presents but rather than asking all parents for a donation, they put out a sheet for any parents who wanted to, to sign up to have a stall. Plenty of people seem to have 'crafty' things to offer, etc, so it's done on that basis rather than a donation from all.

and also to be the voice there saying "we need to liaise more with the head so that ALL these activities are not on top of each other".

I do think it's important for them to remember that not everyone can afford everything. Maybe they're just a bit unimaginative, for instance with the bulbs/plants, instead of going to the parents they could approach a Garden Centre and get a donation, etc.