Volunteering to whistleblowing - a good idea?

[MidnightMomma]

My first post here and it's long - sorry for that. But upsetting situation and want to describe it accurately.

DS started school last year and I offered to volunteer with fundraising and it's all ended up a disaster. I found very many disingenuous practices by the head. Some of them:

1. Voluntary donations from parents offered free of cost refused. Instead, products on sale at events are bought in from selected local businesses. All profits to businesses, not school. School only retains minor table top fee. However parents not told about this, so they buy stuff assuming it benefits school.

1. Parent newsletter declarations of earnings made at fundraising events false/ misleading - they quote all the money in the float at the end of the event, not after deducting huge expenses as everything is bought rather than sourced through donations. Also, we were told by staff one event made a loss, but newsletter quoted profit of the same amount!

1. Minutes not kept or circulated at fundraising meetings. I personally typed up minutes twice but I was not allowed to circulate them myself and no one ever saw a copy afterwards.

1. We were told there wasn't a PTA because no parents had volunteered. We canvassed and got many parents to sign up interest, with their phone numbers and emails, making themselves available for fundraising. This list was taken off us and we were not allowed to contact anyone afterwards and staff also never contacted anyone.

1. Various parents keep reporting that they leave their details with school office at start of school year for volunteering and they never hear anything. Head only allows staff and a few selected parents to be involved.

I have been vocal from the start at wanting to help set up PTA and liven up fundraising scene. Head started off by being positive, but she never attended meetings or sent a deputy. Her rep was a dinner lady who seemed to have no authority to approve anything. Meetings were shambolic, there was never anything discussed past a few basic cake sale style tables. We provided very many ideas and suggestions, all lost or misrepresented somewhere in confused channels. Eventually, I resorted to emailing head with my own written minutes and plans. Results: deputy head sent to chair next meeting, where we were all patronisingly shut down, dinner lady confirmed as in charge of all arrangements and we were told to put up or shut up in effect. Head is now stating I have been making trouble in playground by discussing matters and has implied that I won't be allowed to volunteer again as I'm perceived as not being fully supportive of school. Other parents have all expressed deep discontent but are intimidated by head and unwilling to stand up to her. I feel upset and dismayed and don't want to allow such disingenuity to continue unchecked at ds's school. Also worried about consequences as I seem to sense (don't know if this is imagination) negativity from class teacher and office staff, which makes all dealings stressful.

School offers far too little currently in terms of after school activities or school trips or special in school activities. I really hoped I could help with this by getting involved in fundraising.

Meanwhile, ofsted have been, school has been downgraded in rating and a new head has now been appointed, to start in Jan.

How best to move next? Wait it out for new head? Or start complaint procedure and face the consequences? Will current head be able to somehow 'blacklist' me and my family in school records? Surely I have some protection and rights as a parent!

I'd wait for the new head.

Are there going to be any changes in the board of governors?

Have you ever worked out why products from local businesses were sold instead of donations? Did anyone have links with those businesses?

One local business was owned by staff member's family. No idea about others, but head was insistent everything would be bought in from a pre selected list of businesses.

Not heard of anything about who governors are or who parent governors are or if there's any change likely. No info on school website or office. Have asked if I can meet with them, but head is apparently first port of call for this. Is that right? Can parent not have direct access to governors?

What is the point in raising anything if there's going to be a new head in Jan?

@vestandknickers point is to make parents and governors aware that this kind of stuff has been going on. Also, I have a niggling worry that current head can in some way affect the future formation of a PTA or any school activity or discussion. Sort of like keep a list of 'undesirables' who will be treated with caution by new head. I want to make sure I have logged my protest so there's a record of all this.

It would be normal for any communication for the governing body to be addressed to the clerk of the governing body and to be sent to the school. However I think that you would be well advised to back off for a few months until the new head teacher starts. They will come in with a new vision for the school, presumably to improve the school and if they have any experience elsewhere they will know that an active PTA is a good thing for the school. However you do need to understand that they will probably think there are some more important things to do in the school so I would try to work with them by saying that you would like to try and set up a PA, not a PTA but previously this was resisted by the previous head, would it be all right if you tried to start one up.
You do need to know that any PA that is registered with the charity commission is a charity and that the PA themselves make decisions about what to do with any money raised , it is not something that the head teacher has any legal right to decide on - it is clearly better if there is agreement between head and PA about how money is spent.

Thank you for the answers. It's been useful if nothing else to get this off my chest and know that I'm not just imagining that these are sharp practices!

@PastorOfMuppets - hadn't occurred that this could be going on with everyone's knowledge.

@admission: that was really helpful, thanks. What's the difference between a PA and a PTA - former is entirely parent led and managed I assume? Why is this preferable to a PTA?

Blimey only skim read but this stinks of fraud or similar dodgy financial practices . New head will hopefully sort ASAP

I was involved in a school one where the head banned the PTA because parents had been using it as a vehicle to lobby about school improvements. It says a great deal that parents felt they needed to do this, and like yours, that head left after an ofsted inspection. A well run PTA is a charity run completely independently of the school, but for the benefit of the school. I hope the new headteacher sees this.

Wait for new head.

I am chair of a fundraising organisation for something similar (not a school) & the day the current manager leaves I shall dance around the room as fundraising is pretty much impossible while they are in post. Some heads of services can't work with volunteers. I'm sure the new head will be delighted with having people offer to set up a PTA & fundraise (anyone sane & confident in their own ability would be). Just bide your time until then - maybe get a few interested people together for lunch/coffee/drinks outside school.

Next january will be a new start with a new head.

I have no idea how you whistleblow about allegations of corruption. There is a local authority onwardsman. I imagine that the chair of govenors and old head are in caroots. Infact even members of the PTA could face corruption charges if they have flogged fred blog's wares as parental donations.

Is the PTA a registered charity. Perhaps issues of corruption are an issue for the charity commission. If the PTA have misappriopiated funds then you are best not being part of it.

I am sure that if you whistleblow you will not be allowed to volunteer so wait for the new head.

No registered PTA yet, that's what some others and I offered to set up, a fully registered organisation. We just started assisting by canvassing, sourcing help, etc and calling ourselves 'friends of [school name]'. Of course, we aren't doing that anymore, after everything that went down.

So thank you everyone, unanimous advice here to wait till new head arrives. I'm disturbed by thought that governors could already be in on this. Shakes my faith in our schooling system and checks and balances. concerns exist about teaching policies and practices as well but that is clearly best left for new head to review and deal with. It's all a terrible mess and makes school runs and any other contact with school very negative. Truthfully, wish I hadn't bothered with volunteering at all.

Actualy I doubt that governors are "in on this". What I am getting is a picture of petty corruption - with a stress on "petty" involving the Head, and possibly a couple of members of staff (The Dinner lady?).

Wait for the new head and offer to set up a proper PTA.