New PTA and new parents

[Mopmay]

Our school are trying to relaunch a new PTA and one thing we were thinking about was events to welcome new parents etc The school is quite diverse and a lot of parents work. Has anyone got any low cost ideas of things that that have run / been to that work well. Any ideas?

Have some members at the welcome parents' meeting particularly if you are able to run a second hand uniform sale - you can then answer any questions and provide a friendly face. Our PTA used to be around on the drop off trial afternoons and on the first day of term to provide tea/coffee/tissues.

That's really useful Thx

Make sure not all PTA meetings are during the day, we managed NCT group meetings at 7pm without too many problems. At least 2/3 of us where always present. You may get more members that way.

Events - get the class reps to organise drinks instead of always coffee mornings. Have members available during introduction evenings the school has or any all-school events if you have any in the evenings.

Our PTA has a volunteer bank. If a parent wants to help but can't commit to a full role they are contacted for big events like disco, fair, firework night and asks if they want to help. It often brings more people in.

And often working parents can use resources, I had permission to print black/white leaflets and A4 posters plus some companies have funds for charities etc where employees are involved and either pay lump sums or match funds raised for specific reasons.

In our Infant school one parent managed to get her company to donate laptops they replaced for the ICT suite.

Talk to the school about class rep system.

We have had to build up our engagement with parents over time. If this is a relaunch see if you can find out about the previous PTA and why it failed.

Our school runs induction days for all nursery and reception parents. Someone from the PTA gives a little speech during the presentations and we sell second hand uniform after.

Make sure there is a PTA presence at all evening events to offer wine, tea or coffee - for charge! Definitely produce good literature and make it clear every parent is a member. Don't let a few parents turn it into their personal fiefdom and exclude everyone else from feeling part of it. Tell parents, clearly, what your objectives are and how they might like to help and what you intend to run for the benefit of the school and the chidren - a calendar of fun events! Get the Head to welcome it too by putting something in the literature. The list of vounteeers, in addition to committee members, is vital. So is having a flexible committee and learning from past mistakes. Rebrand it if you can. What do you think/know parents actually want?

It's mainly a case that all the people who were involved were year 6 so left !!

Welcome BBQ on the second or third Friday of the new term?

I think historically events were well attended but involvement at KS1 dropped off as it was mainly the KS2 parents involved. I think people are relatively happy to donate and attend if someone organises it ??

That is the key then. Getting more people interested in all years of the school and persuading them to help out. People can be quite keen in the early years of schooling because it is their children who will benefit most. It could have been that the KS2 parents monopolised events and did not leave room for new blood and ideas. Try and get as many people as you can from lower down the school to join the committee or go on a helpers list. Ask your KS1 parents for ideas of what to run and how they can help.

Millymolly I think you are right. KS1 parents drifted off and never engaged. I do think getting them interested early is key

Our problem is the opposite. Parents get to KS2 and drift off. Feels like we are starting again every year.

One thing our last school introduced was a PTA ask the parents morning event for Reception parents about three weeks into the new school year, so that they could ask all the trivial little questions that they really wanted to know but didn't want to bug the teachers with. But another one could be run as an evening drinks.

Also agree that class reps really help.