Whilst it might be obvious, gaining
the support of the school isn't something that should be overlooked
or taken for granted. Just think about what the school can
offer a PTA:-
• access to your target audience including pupils, staff,
grandparents etc;
• a wonderful venue that almost always comes free of
charge;
• an endorsement of your activities; and
• lots of free publicity
PTAs that work well with their
school are often those where a close working relationship has been
developed. This might not happen overnight and may take some
time and effort.
A good place to start is by
identifying an appropriate member of staff who is happy to be your
main point of contact even if they can't come along to
meetings. Most often in primary schools this will be the
headteacher but this responsibility may be delegated to another
member of the senior management team in secondary schools and
larger primary schools. However, do remember to promote the
PTA and its successes generally to all staff. This will put
you in a stronger position if your main contact leaves the
school.
If you have a PTA, Friends, PSA, or
HSA remember that the teaching and non-teaching staff are also
members of your association and are therefore eligible
to stand for election as a member of the committee. If you
have a Parents' Association, check your constitution as there may
be a facility to co-opt onto your committee from outside of the
association's membership, again giving you the opportunity to
invite a member of the teaching / non-teaching staff to join the
committee. There are obvious benefits to having a member
of the teaching and /or non-teaching staff on the committee, as
they will automatically provide a link with the school.
Keep your contact informed of your
plans and progress. Ensure that the headteacher, the staff
(teaching and non-teaching) plus the Board of Governors have access
to the PTA minutes and that they receive a copy of the PTA
newsletter. If you need specific support from the school give
as much notice as possible. If your requests cannot be
accommodated, try to be reasonable about the decision taken by the
school. Schools are juggling many priorities and your understanding
may gain considerable support from the school in the future.
Whilst it is legally the
responsibility of PTA committee members as the trustees of the charity
to determine how funds raised are spent this usually only works
effectively where the school is consulted. Most often this is
done through a 'wish list' provided by the school with the PTA
committee members making the final decisions, using a simple voting
procedure.
Sometimes things don't always work
well with the school. This can be for a variety of reasons
and is usually best addressed by meeting the most appropriate
member of staff at their convenience to talk through any
issues. Try to understand any concerns and discuss how
these might be addressed. Find out what the school actually
wants from the PTA - especially at secondary level this might not
always be fundraising. Then agree a way of working that will
suit everyone. This might take some degree of compromise but
as confidence and experience of working together grows this will
pay its own rewards.
Checklist
• identify a main point of
contact at the school for all PTA business
• understand how the PTA can be most beneficial to the
school
• consult the school on how funds raised might be spent
• meet with the school to discuss any issues as quickly as
possible