Buying things for school

Becles

Does anyone else keep getting pestered to buy things for school for use in lessons?

A couple of weeks ago, my son came in saying he needed some special beads for a craft project that could be bought at a shop 8 miles from here. I said to tell the teacher no as I was heavily pregnant and poorly, and unable to drive. He later persuaded my Mam to buy them while she was babysitting when I was in hospital (which is another rant :rolleyes: )

He's come in this evening saying he has to take in some plant pots and a bag of compost for a science project.

I've got a 8 day old premature baby here and I'm still too poorly to drive, so I've told him he can take some old pots out the garage and to tell the teacher that someone else will have to buy compost.

Does anyone else get frequent requests to go out and buy materials for school projects?

I wouldn't mind so much normally, but it's a bit off when school are aware of the problems I've had with the pregnancy etc.

mclaren_2

I cant give any advice on schoold but wha ti would do is call the school head teacher and just explain your circumstances. or giveyour son a letter to take withhim to hand to his teacher to explain things

If the teacher has a heart then she will understand - if not then.....

Congratulations btw

Murdina

I have had children at 2 primary schools in diff areas and have never encountered this nor has my sister who is teacher ever made such a request. What if the parents could not afford the materials? I think there are some legal as well as practical issues here - school should provide materials needed.

winnie81

I too get pestered with letters but with money:mad:

Almost every week there is a letter asking for money i.e £5 for cooking ingrediants, £5 for planting some seeds for a project etc, etc always saying its needed as its a part of the curriculum. I have since told the school that if its part of the curriculum then they pay for it I wont :mad:

Then we get the weekly letters asking for money for different fund raisers etc I don't mind doing my bit but this school takes the p*ss :rolleyes:

The school is the best in the area I know but all the fund raisers are the typical well to do 4x4 BMW driving women who have more money than sense so they keep coming up with ideas that average mum me can't keep up with :mad: Since xmas they have raised enough so that the whole school has now got digital whiteboards and all the trimmings with it! :eek:

Sometimes you just gotta say enough is enough

winnie81

Oh I forgot to say both my kids are only in reception so I have lots more of this to come :eek:

bubblebathgirl

No they dont ask us for stuff here .They are a bit sponser form mad tho'.Beccles (((((((hugs))))))) for you and your baby

Sarahsaver

Legally they can only ask you to make a contribution. If the thing the child is doing is part of the national curriculum it should be provided for.
Here, teachers bring in soil and compost. The only things we have been asked to take are empty boxes for junk modelling but you have these anyway, old catalogues or magazines, which are the same, something you have already. Maybe it is because we are in a supposedly 'deprived' area, the school has a very high % of free school meals.
Hugs to you Becles, and your new arrival. Keep your energy for your baby and yourself and tell the school to stuff it with their silly demands!

On a practical note old loo roll inners would be more eco friendly as plant pots, or you could use yoghurt pots or the bottom of plastic bottles. Compost? Dig some soil up. And suggest the school makes their own compost.

Fizog

I find that only schools in middle class areas do this. Schools by law are not allowed to ask for money for trips or materials they can ask for contributions (voluntary of course) and this is the way they can get round it. I am sure if the teacher has any compassion there will be approx. 5 kids in each class whose parents are too disorganised or harassed to oblige and she should provide for them .
A phone call to her or welfare should sort the problem ...do you collect him if so you could have a word and say that it is not possible to comply with these requests due to circumstances and you trust he will not be left out because you can't obtain these things.
At primary school I constantly was being asked for egg boxes overnight, bulbs, earth, fabric, jam jars, sweets in jam jars, toys, cushions, materials for slippers, ingredients for biscuits......blah blah... at least at secondary you get some warning. Again everything is voluntary....

tosca5

Lucky the school my children attend don't ever ask for anything, everything is provided for them.

Hapless_2

I find that only schools in middle class areas do this. Schools by law are not allowed to ask for money for trips or materials they can ask for contributions (voluntary of course) and this is the way they can get round it.

Don't you believe it, Shinewater in Eastbourne is one of the most deprived areas in the country (even people from Whitehawk in Brighton refuse to exchange there) one of the schools there had 90% of children on free meals and they always used to ask for money for this and that.

shazrobo

i had this wen both my boys were at primary school. not so since they started secondary school, everything is provided for them