Parent Teacher Association

MollyJoe

Hi

Could anyone help me with finding information on a school PTA.

My son is about to start school in September and I know the school are keen to have a PTA set up.

How formal are they?
Legal procedures?
The money / where is it kept?


Any information would be gratefully received, I just want to be sure I have the time and commitement to offer.


Thank you

inamess200

Hi I have been chair and treasurer for my childrens infant school PTA. We set it up as a registered charity - for that you need a couple of trustees to safeguard the assets - we had head treasurer and chair of meeting. The money ws banked in an account set up in the PTA name with 2 signatories required if cheques were to be drawn.

The treasurer collects all monies and invoices and produces a monthly report showing money in expenses out and balance at bank. We have monthly meetings and arrange a summer fair, christmas fair, discos for children , fun craft days, ferret race nights, fashion shows with children as models, sleepover (junior school) caosters with childs individual design on, school t towels - one year we raised over £6000!!! It is really good fun as long as those that come to the meetings are committed - you will find though help from other parents can be sparce although their children enjoy the benefits!! Its a great way of meeting other mums and giving something back to the school especially if you work full time so cant help in other ways.

If you want to run a raffle you need a lottery licence fromt he local council - about £20 each year.

Have fun it is really rewarding we purchased playground equipment, a new library, indoor soft play area, laptops and other smaller items while my DD's went there and now my son is going to same school and will use it all.

My DD's now at the junior school and i help on PTA but am also a govenor - i do like to be involved LOL

Meetings take a couple of hours a month more time is needed for large events but dependant on your time and help you can plan events accordingly.


If you need any more help just contact me.

Amanda65

Hi

I would suggest you speak to the school first to see what is in place already (have they had a PTA in the past that folded or never had one?) and then contact the NCPTA http://www.ncpta.org.uk/ the national association for PTA's.

When I was Chair at my childrens' primary schools we were ncpta members and I found their website and publications very useful.

Monies were kept ina seperate PTA bank account, which required two signatories for cheques etc. We had a committee of parents and then nominated officers of Chair, Treasurer, Deputy Chair and Secretary. In addition we had a minute secretary who took and distributed meeting minutes and a president, who was a previous Head from the school. Each year we held an AGM but I'm not sure whether this was necessary or just a tradition as the PTA had been running for some year.

HTH and good luck

KellyWelly

contact the NCPTA, they are the best organisation to advise you.

I've set up a PTA and got it up and running to the point I can resign at the end of the year (two years after starting it) - it's very hard work and there are a lot of legal issues you have to be aware of. You can't do things slap dash anymore because of recent legislation and also because of the risk of liability if anything goes wrong. However, it is really good fun (imo!) and I have learnt a lot from it and found it really satisfying to have made a difference to my childrens' school.

Good luck!

Errata

Could I suggest 4 signatories for a bank account with any two to sign cheques. This allows for one dropping dead and another being on holiday. It's also safer, as if there are only two they can act in cahoots, but it's hard to find four people who're prepared to be financially naughty.
This might seem overkill, but better to be safe than sorry and something I've learned through giving support to people setting up community groups.

MollyJoe

Thank you all for your advice.
Can I perhaps ask a couple of more questions:

Is the pta money raised theirs or does the school have a right to see the bank books?
have funds for school things?
does there have to be teachers?

There is currently a pta in the school who i believe have been given notice to quit / disband by the govenors?

The pta (3 parents only) say the govenors can not do this.

I feel I would be walking into a mine field but want to help if I can.

Errata

Have you had a good read of this site ?
http://www.ncpta.org.uk/
It may give you definitive answers to your questions.

MollyJoe

I have read what I am able to without becoming a member.

A lot of the fields require that you are joined at a cost per year.

thank you

KellyWelly

MollyJoe wrote: »

Thank you all for your advice.
Can I perhaps ask a couple of more questions:

Is the pta money raised theirs or does the school have a right to see the bank books?
have funds for school things?
does there have to be teachers?

There is currently a pta in the school who i believe have been given notice to quit / disband by the govenors?

The pta (3 parents only) say the govenors can not do this.

I feel I would be walking into a mine field but want to help if I can.

The money that the PTA raises belongs to the PTA. The PTA is made up of every parent and teacher associated with the school, not just the committee. The signatures on the bank account will be the elected committee members. However the money is not yours, per se, it is to be used as per your constitution, i.e. for the enrichment of the children's education and enjoyment of the school.

There do not have to be any teachers on your PTA committee, but all the teachers will automatically be members.

The governors are nothing to do with the PTA and have no right to interfere in any PTA matters - that being said if there has been some suggestion of impropriety then the school may get involved. The governors can't just turn around and say 'get lost' and as such I suspect there is more to the story. Although, when I set up the PTA at my kids' school one of the governors (the finance governor) tried to strong arm his way in and came to meetings insisting that he was made a signatory and we said in not uncertain terms that he could get lost and we would be electing our own committee.

Things have to be run properly and you must have a constitution and a properly run committee, meetings, insurances, risk assessments, etc. Running a PTA is really quite hard work but it definitely is worth it.

My only further advice would be watch what you're walking into. You might find that there will be a lot of hard feeling about what's happened before if there has been a problem with the current PTA and they have been kicked out. You are a new parent and you will be walking into a mine field if that is actually what has happened. The PTA will be well known amongst parents and everyone has an opinion and a 'side' to take and it does very easily become 'them' and 'us' unfortunately. Suss it all out a bit more before you do anything - speak to the current PTA and find out why they are going. It might actually just be that they are winding down and all stepping down but it could be they've not accounted for money properly or something and the school have decided to distance themselves from that group because of it. Is the current PTA a registered charity? Check the charity commission website, have they sent their accounts in?