Buying things for school

benood

winnie81 wrote: »

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:

I can't really believe you're complaining about people raising loads to buy things that all the children will benefit from! I'm sure the 4x4 brigade are just focussed on raising maximum cash for minimum effort. Don't worry about keeping up just be pleased that your children are benefitting and keep your head down when you hear a tin being rattled

What is wrong is when you are put in the position of being forced to say that you can't afford to provide materials - that's not fair but I guess teachers are pretty busy and it's stuff like that round the edges which can get missed.

Rachie_B

Luckily no,i havent found this with my sons infants and junior schools

its a bit of a cheek if you ask me !

TBH the schools are fab and even the free after school clubs everything is provided

eg my eldest son does gardening club lol and he brings plants etc home,we currently have 2 runner bean plants ! never have we been asked to contribute to materials

bylromarha

Congrats on the baby!

Sounds to me like you have a teacher who can't be bothered TBH.

I alwasy used to buy stuff for my classes as I could only rely on half the class to bring things in from home, so I'd never teach what I wanted to teach unless I got it myself.

And quite right too as I'm the teacher and getting paid to do a job...the parents aren't.

Nenen

I'm sure the teacher didn't mean to burden you but this all sounds like a bit too much pressure on both you and your son at a difficult time for you. I would certainly write a note to the teacher explaining your situation as your son might well feel too embarrassed to explain things himself, especially if lots of other children do bring the things in and he feels 'odd'. In my experience, children in that position will often just tell their teachers they 'forgot' as they are too shy to explain their mother's reasons so the teacher may genuinely not realise. Often teachers without their own children have no idea of the difficulties faced when you have more than one child and are suddenly asked to produce a rabbit out of a hat at a moment's notice! The flip side is that often teachers give plenty of warning and ask the children for many days on the trot only for the child to leave it until the final day/night before to tell Mum what is requested!

Regarding the flowerpots, this link (from someone on greenfingered, sorry can't remember who) for making brilliant 'green' flowerpots from newspaper is fantastic... give a copy of the link to your son, along with a pile of old newspapers if you have them, and tell him to take this to his teacher!
http://www.wizer.co.uk/?p=29
HTH

Rachie_B

those "pots" are fab !

i am going to give it a go

Sarahsaver

In the bad old days when we used to buy fizzy pop, dd had a voracious(?) thirst for about a week.
Only after a few days did she tell me that she needed empty bottles for a project at school LOL:)

winnie81

benood wrote: »

I can't really believe you're complaining about people raising loads to buy things that all the children will benefit from! I'm sure the 4x4 brigade are just focussed on raising maximum cash for minimum effort. Don't worry about keeping up just be pleased that your children are benefitting and keep your head down when you hear a tin being rattled

What is wrong is when you are put in the position of being forced to say that you can't afford to provide materials - that's not fair but I guess teachers are pretty busy and it's stuff like that round the edges which can get missed.

I have absolutely no problem with the fund raising for the school I do my bit when and as I can but the sheer amount of events/requests for money/sponsorship that is organized by the fundraising women is incredible. They can well afford to keep handing money out I ans many other mums cannot. The pressure is on the children to take part so it is then I that feels awful tht I have to say no to them.

The first month they two children started school I had a request for

£5.00 Cookery ingrediants ( they so far this school year baked 6 fairy cakes :mad: )
£5.00 Gardening Bits ( they have planted 1 sunflower seed in an old yoghurt pot)
3 x Lots of cakes for the cake bake ( this has now changed to once per month)
£7.00 School Equipment
£40.00 each child for a school photo :eek: ( fundraiser )
£15.00 Party for the kids
£25.00 for tickets to an adult fundraising night - cheese and wine I think

Whenever there is a class assembly (3 each school year), xmas play, Church visit ( Cof E school attached to parish church) school play, school carol singing, religious celebration such as Christingle and everything else they have there are always 4 people at each exit collecting money in tins :rolleyes:

This is typical of most months and its all very well having the best of everything but I know that I will have a letter once a week asking for money for something.

The sheer amount is silly and while both kids are in reception they have no idea I just don't bother but they will realise I can't give like some of there friends etc and I think its awful that a local school should make me feel like crap when telling the kids they can't be involved in certain activities as I just can't afford it

I am now having to start savings as in 2 years time they have 1 or 2 yearly trips away for a week each which cost between £250 and £450 each week each child :eek: That is also when they start school swimming lessons at £30.00 per term per child :eek:

Please don't think I am agains't the school having the best/nice things I really am not but the pressure placed on parents is awful

winnie81

benood wrote: »

I can't really believe you're complaining about people raising loads to buy things that all the children will benefit from! I'm sure the 4x4 brigade are just focussed on raising maximum cash for minimum effort. Don't worry about keeping up just be pleased that your children are benefitting and keep your head down when you hear a tin being rattled

What is wrong is when you are put in the position of being forced to say that you can't afford to provide materials - that's not fair but I guess teachers are pretty busy and it's stuff like that round the edges which can get missed.

I just reread my post and I really do agree with you I was just explaining just how much we are expected to pay out and there is pressure to do so

misty

We're not asked for too much - at least nothing I object to. The cooking club was for free sessions but htey asked if nayone could bring in items such as baking powder, etc but htis wasn't a requirement. They also have wear your own clothes day at the end of every half term - this is to raise money for school funds and is 50p per child. They also ask for food for the homeless at harvest festival time - each year get told a differnt item e.g biscuits or tea bags - again this is voluntary

full-time-mum

I now realise just how lucky we must be at our school. We are asked for money for school trips but they are also subsidised by the school and by the Friends.

There have been sponsored events but only occaisionally. There are photos but we've never felt obliged (maybe I'm just thick skinned!). There are lots of social trips/quizes etc but again, I've never felt pressured.
The only things I feel pressured by are mufti days and school discos but I'm fine with those. Mufti is usually comic relief or children in need.

Sometimes, we get requests for odds and ends, like plant pots or yogurt cartons and we sometimes have to dress them up for history days (eg: Victorian Day, Greek Day, India Day) but it is always kept simple.

As a governor, I would be horrified if requests for money for cooking/gardening/science were made. I think it would be worth writing and telling the head that you appreciate that they struggle with budgets but the attitude of "Its ok to keep asking the parents to dig deep" is not acceptable. If no joy then approach the governing body as they are also responsible for setting budgets and should be called to task. Parents shouldn't be expected to fund the school in this way.

Our school has one huge fundraiser in the summer and then we do get a long letter with a list of all the things needed - bottles, plants, cakes, raffle, tombola, cuddly toys etc but it is only once a year.