why are schools always asking for money!

missindecisive

phew its a bit of an expensive time this month . so far ive paid out £15 for dd school trip, £18 for ds's school trip, theres 2 charity sponsor forms to return to dd's & ds's primary school, 1 charity envelope for older ds (he's at high school) and 1 charity envelope for younger dd's nursery. then there's the school uniforms to make a start on, for 4 children thats not gonna be cheap
on top of all that primary school invited parents in to buy their kids artwork,all framed and beautiful ofcourse, at £6 each, there was 2 to buy. where does it end!!!????

nickyhutch

It doesn't! Glad I've only got one!

bestpud

missindecisive wrote: »

phew its a bit of an expensive time this month . so far ive paid out £15 for dd school trip, £18 for ds's school trip, theres 2 charity sponsor forms to return to dd's & ds's primary school, 1 charity envelope for older ds (he's at high school) and 1 charity envelope for younger dd's nursery. then there's the school uniforms to make a start on, for 4 children thats not gonna be cheap
on top of all that primary school invited parents in to buy their kids artwork,all framed and beautiful ofcourse, at £6 each, there was 2 to buy. where does it end!!!????

There is a similar thread to this on here somewhere - well, on the cost of school trips at least.

I didn't buy the framed artwork as it seemed a rip off to me! You can achieve the same effect yourself with a cheap frame.

I don't automatically respond to the charity things either! I tend to think, if I wouldn't respond to them if they knocked on my door, or approached me in the street, then why should I just because they ask through the school.

If money is tight, then why not pay for the trips but ignore the rest for now?

Oldernotwiser

When I was at school, charity fundraising (I don't mean for the school) was about the children paying the money. When did it become about asking the parents for it and what's the point?

the_other_mce

I'm fed up with the money grabbing that goes on at schools too...
we had a bring a bottle mufti day where my DD's class were told by the teacher to make sure they 'brought in a bottle of something decent' ...
We also have a school disco where they sell sweets to the children that have 15p marked on the wrapper for 20/25p!
Thats on top of the charity collections, coach contributions for trips to other schools to sing/play rounders, regular book sales where the kids are taken out of class to have a look at the books (one year my DD's class were given a piece of paper and a pencil and told to list the 3 books they wanted their parents to buy them - and then the lists were sent home in their book bags), raffles, cake sales, 'normal' mufti days - it just goes on and on... plus I end up using my holiday from work when they need parent helpers for events during school time. When my kids tell me they have a letter for me I feel like asking 'how much?' rather than 'what are you going to do?'

Millie's_Mum

DD's school had a fundraising event this week 'for school funds' where it was run by a company who paid their own wages by taking a proportion of the sponsorship! Needless to say DD did not take part.

School had a coffee morning the day after, usually you can guarantee the headmistress being there and speaking to everyone, she was nowhere to be seen this week, very annoying because I was very keen to talk to her about it.

And its the school fair tomorrow so i will be £30 down at least by this time tomorrow!

ceebeeby

... I thought there was an option to opt out of all of this hype?

At DD3's fabulous school I think we've been asked to contribute £2 per adult and £1 per child to see the end of term school play. Refreshments were on sale for 20p during the interval.

So far this year she's been on an adventure day with adventure activities (nil), a coach trip to Glasgow to a big 'all schools event' at which the McDonald Brothers performed (nil), various coach trips to the local leisure centre, various coach trips to the local church, after school Xmas party (nil), 2 disco's (nil but bring 25p if you want juice and sweets - and even if they didn't as parent helpers we were told to give them out anyway), a Christmas school fete where everything was about 10p a go and bowling with a meal last night (nil).

In return, the school holds two PTA events a year - a racing night and a summer family bbq to which the entire community is invited to attend - and attend they do, because they're very reasonable and fabulous fun for the whole family. If a family is unable to attend, they don't need to give an excuse (whether it be cost / other commitment etc.).

Maybe you could get in touch with your PTA or even think about joining, to find out how you could alleviate some of the costs you seem to be incurring.

BTW - we had a parent vote a few years ago, and vetoed sponsor forms for any charity. We agreed though that parents and children who wished would contribute 10p per month per child to sponsor 2 children in a Malawian school, and again those that wished could donate shoeboxes of 'useful' gifts at Xmas, to be distributed via I think Christian Aid, but I might be wrong on the charity. My DD3 personally pays the 10 p month, but it's into like a slotted money pot in the hall, so you'd never know who's put in or otherwise so no-one feels bad not contributing.

Hope this helps

mini

I think my children go to the same school as yours! I have 2 pictures in cheap frames as well from today , informed the school gets £1 from each sale, if I'd have known I'd have taken their work out paid £2 to the school & framed it myself for less and a better frame!

catpaws99

Wow glad mine don't go to a school like that!

Cost wise we have xmas disco £1 each inc juice and crisps and the odd 20p for red nose day.

No sponsor forms thankfully!

We have the book fair but that is well overpriced - I always walk round with the girls but end up telling them they can have 2 or 3 books each from the shop in town for the same price so get out of it!

Oh forgot we have raffle ticket, xmas, easter and summer £1 a book but this goes to school funds so I don't mind - same with summer fair which is a bring your picnic in and sit on the field day.

We don't pay for trips here and they usually have a couple a year.

As a rule if the money goes to school I give and if it doesn't I don't.

the_other_mce

ceebeeby wrote: »

... I thought there was an option to opt out of all of this hype?


Maybe you could get in touch with your PTA or even think about joining, to find out how you could alleviate some of the costs you seem to be incurring.

It's the PTA that does most of the money grabbing! (school disco entry £3 per child 3/4 times a year), they sell the over-priced sweets, £10 worth of fete raffle tickets sent home with each child, they doubled the price of the mufti day from £1 per child to £2 and then organised more of them. Interestingly I don't see many of the PTA members putting their hands in their pockets - they all seem to let their own kids have free sweets, drinks and free goes on the bouncy castles and attractions at the fetes..... :mad: they say it's because they are giving up their time - to the rest of us parents who are also helping at all these events in our free time:rolleyes:

ChrisCobra

Paying for your kids own work , these schools are really taking the mick.

Pretty sure you can get a cheaper frame elsewhere!

Whatever happened to a cheap magnet and a fridge