School making constant demands for time and money?

dora37

Penny_Watcher wrote:

My son is starting secondary school in September. Before he's even there they've started with the GIVE US MONEY routine. In the prospective parents 'New Intake Brochure' there are direct debit forms!!

To quote from the head of governors letter

"Parents have to face up to the reality that as part of the voluntary aided sector, there is a price to pay for choice."

WTFlip? Apparently they need £300,000 to contribute to a £2.7m extension to the school. However they'll never actually get the £2.7m from the government because the school doesn't tick all the right boxes in the national social diversity spectrum (although it reflects the social diversity of the town we live in).

Too true - there is a choice and after a letter like that I choose not to pay :mad:

The senior school that DS1 and DS2 attend is underfunded (aren't they all!?) and parents are asked to contribute each month if possible through their gift aid scheme.

This scheme has turned the library into a Learning Resource Centre (computers etc) and bought a mini bus which otherwise couldn't have been afforded.

Yes we pay a lot of taxes and yes it isn't right that we should need to subsidise, HOWEVER, both of our sons have benefited greatly from both these extra resources.....

We don't live in an ideal world, and sometimes that does entail putting ones principles and beliefs to one side, for the benefit, education and wellbeing of our children.

Dammam

With you all the way on this. If it isn't "non-uniform day" costing £1 - which you have to because you don't want you child to be singled out as the only one in uniform, it's having to be 'badged' uniform from the schools approved supplier. This means the school gets commission, but you end up paying 2-3 times as much as you'd pay at Asda.

I thought uniform was supposed to mean that nobody was singled out as 'different' - then they run roughshod over the concept for the sake of a few more £'s.

We were all asked to contribute to a school minibus a few years ago. It was bought and 6 months later my son was involved in a hockey tournament in Cardiff. But they asked the parents to take the children in their cars (and make space for any spare children) as the minibus was now allocated tfor the special needs unit. Now special needs is a worthy cause, but whilst we were all cramming as many people as we could into our cars, the minibus sat in the school grounds unused all weekend!

I could rant for ages on this, but I should be working!

coolio_2

Easy solution - Dont have kids.

Kimberley

Penny_Watcher wrote:

My son is starting secondary school in September. Before he's even there they've started with the GIVE US MONEY routine. In the prospective parents 'New Intake Brochure' there are direct debit forms!!

To quote from the head of governors letter

"Parents have to face up to the reality that as part of the voluntary aided sector, there is a price to pay for choice."

WTFlip? Apparently they need £300,000 to contribute to a £2.7m extension to the school. However they'll never actually get the £2.7m from the government because the school doesn't tick all the right boxes in the national social diversity spectrum (although it reflects the social diversity of the town we live in).

Too true - there is a choice and after a letter like that I choose not to pay :mad:

Well you wait until your son has started and the amount of money you have to pay then :rolleyes: Before mine started you have to contribute a tenner to the school funds :rolleyes: As for the holidays it's a no no, my daughter has just bought a letter home for a trip to Italy for ..............................£610, yes £610 bleedin quid :eek: No way...:o

Kimberley

coolio wrote:

Easy solution - Dont have kids.

I'd agree in todays society :rolleyes: what are we doing raising kids in this !!!!ty world. The kids have no future the way things are going.

Penny_Watcher

dora37 wrote:

The senior school that DS1 and DS2 attend is underfunded (aren't they all!?) and parents are asked to contribute each month if possible through their gift aid scheme.

This scheme has turned the library into a Learning Resource Centre (computers etc) and bought a mini bus which otherwise couldn't have been afforded.

Yes we pay a lot of taxes and yes it isn't right that we should need to subsidise, HOWEVER, both of our sons have benefited greatly from both these extra resources.....

We don't live in an ideal world, and sometimes that does entail putting ones priciples and beliefs to one side, for the benefit, education and wellbeing of our children.

Wise words dora37, our children's education and well-being are paramount.

I should add that we did fill in the direct debits of the Amenities Fund, the Voluntary Contributions Scheme, volunteered to join the PTA and will be fund raising for and contributing to this school as well as the primary school he is leaving (as DD is still there).

It was the tone of the Governor's letter that I took objection to. It's a scheme that the Headmaster himself had said will never get the go ahead, so why are the governors asking for this money in brusque way?

Prudent

Some schools do a huge amount of activities both for the benefit of the children and to raise money for chairty. If your child goes to one of these schools -and they are usually in areas that have a partially affluent catchment- it can place a strain on your finances. You need to keep in mind that the schools are trying to provide a good service for your child. Most schools try to involve parents because it is good practise - it is about partnership in your child's education. As a visiting teacher I saw that children in these kind of schools generally were happy and motivated.

However I also see the other side of the coin. I am a single parent and for a long time worked on temporary contracts that gave me no holiday or sick pay. I struggled financially. My heart used to sink when yet another letter came in from my daughter's school. In the end, I wrote a blanket letter (stored on computer and printed as required) explanating I could not always afford what was aked due to the nature of my contract. The school were very good and she never missed out on anything. I also could not help as time off work meant no pay and so worsened our financial situation.

Teachers generally are very good when people genuinely can't afford things or give time. One of the most highly regardred parents I have come across was at a school in a very deprived area. She was a single mum on benefits with four children (dad walked out and disappeared). She used to take home things like the teapots after events and give everything a good scrub. It was the job no -one else wanted, but was such a big help.

Please remember most teachers would rather you just said a genuine thank you now and again rather than bought chocolates because you felt obliged.

dora37

Penny_Watcher wrote:

Wise words dora37, our children's education and well-being are paramount.

I should add that we did fill in the direct debits of the Amenities Fund, the Voluntary Contributions Scheme, volunteered to join the PTA and will be fund raising for and contributing to this school as well as the primary school he is leaving (as DD is still there).

It was the tone of the Governor's letter that I took objection to. It's a scheme that the Headmaster himself had said will never get the go ahead, so why are the governors asking for this money in brusque way?

My mistake, I took the fund raising as necessary for the extension. Instead of that they were fund raising for a % that was needed to secure the grant that in fact isn't going to happen. My apologies!

I do however stand by my sentiments after reading several posts berating 'fund raising' - unfortunately with this so called 'education,education,education government - unless we take an active part in fund raising for OUR children, they will miss out.

As Prudent pointed out fund raising activities are not always about costing us money - sometimes time is much more appreciated.

Surely we reap what we sow?

loopy-loo73

filigree wrote:

Some PTA members (in my limited experience) can be a bit la-di-da middle class and need to be told the facts of life.

:mad:
I think you're out of order making sweeping generalisations like that.
As you say yourself you have only limited experience.
I think it's the parents who don't belong to the PTA & have no interest in any extra help they could get for their kids who should be told the facts of life.
I'm from a strictly working class background (if you insist on bringing class into it). I work long hours (as does my BF so our daughter can have a good chilhood) & still go to meetings at the end of the day to see if we can do anything to help the school & ALL the kids in it.

dottyanne

im a bit half/half with this - i work full time and so does hubby - there are a lot of things we have to attend but on most occasions are really enjoyable and worth the time and effort (i know its hard after a long day at work) - the thing that does get to me sometimes is the constant trps and holidays etc which parents have to fund...........you cant really say no when all the kids classmates are going and sometimes its a real strain on the purse strings when youre already strapped for cash.

However - ive never not sent them on anything arranged from school and wouldnt ever do so .........

dotty xx