I have worked in seven schools over the course of my 20 years in teaching, all of which had a Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and I strongly believe we have been better off for it.
Particularly now when funding is stretched, having a PTA has been a lifeline for us at Chudleigh Primary School and has meant we have been able to provide things such as new playground equipment, learning resources and books for the library, which ordinarily we would not be in a position to allocate any of our budget to. This school year alone, our PTA has already managed to raise £10,000 through cake sales, quiz nights and festive celebrations.
Although traditionally known for their fundraising efforts, PTAs actually serve a far greater purpose. Many people do not realise the important part PTAs play in developing stronger home-school links and, in particular, relationships with harder to reach parents.
Chudleigh is a small market town and the majority of the students are from the local community. However, before this, I had worked in a much larger city, where students travelled to school from many different areas. I found the PTA to be a great way to foster a sense of "togetherness" in this instance, enabling parents who came to the school from a greater distance, and who perhaps felt a little "out of it", to get to know other parents and to feel part of the school community.
Our PTA has also provided us with the opportunity to consult parents on any policy changes or initiatives that we are thinking of introducing in the school. This not only enables us to voice our ideas and receive constructive feedback, it also ensures that parents feel valued by the school; once again strengthening that crucial relationship.
While we don't always have to consult them, I am often keen to seek parents' ideas because I know they have a genuine interest in supporting and improving the school for the benefit of their own children, therefore it is important that we listen to what they have to say.
For example, we recently sought advice from parents on our revised behaviour rewards system prior to relaunching it, and were able to improve the model and communication with the wider parent body based on the feedback we received.
While I am very much of the mind that the PTA is integral to Chudleigh's development, I know there are probably a lot of headteachers out there who are nervous about the idea of introducing a PTA, concerned that it might become too involved in the day-to-day running of the school and "get in the way".
Personally, I have never experienced this, and think it is easy to avoid if the role of the PTA is clearly defined to begin with. Overall, the benefits of a PTA far outweigh anything negative, and has enabled us to forge partnerships with parents, encourage them to be more engaged with their children's education and also to raise money for things we would not otherwise be able to afford.
So what would be my advice to any schools preparing to take the plunge and establish a PTA?
Put a plan in place
Before setting up a PTA, make sure you have a clear idea of how it will work. Consider issues such as who will be the main point of contact for parents at the school, how often you will hold parent-teacher meetings, who will be responsible for deciding where to spend any funds raised, and so on.
Sit down with teachers and explain how you envisage the PTA will work, then listen to any concerns they might have. Perhaps there are certain things they do not want the PTA to be involved in, or there is something they feel should be prioritised, such as fundraising for new science equipment.
Something I have found is that it doesn't hurt for staff to get actively involved in fundraising events from time to time, so encourage teachers to do this. I often help out at cake sales and this has been a good way to develop a strong and trusting relationship with parent members. As with anything new, there's bound to be teething problems to begin with, but you can definitely minimise these by establishing a plan and any boundaries in the first instance.
Don't be afraid to start small
Although a fair few parents attend meetings, our PTA is only made up of six core parents, which is quite small considering we have a student population of 400. Yet even so, our PTA has managed to raise a significant amount for the school and to build a strong parent-teacher community.
Don't be concerned if only a handful of parents actively engage with your school's PTA. Building a strong relationship with parents can take time and establishing a PTA, however small, is certainly a good start.
Continue to reach out to parents who do not regularly get involved by, for example, sending them invitations to events and questionnaires to find out their views on any proposed changes within the school. Organising this communication through the PTA, wherever possible, is a great way to encourage more parents to get involved by reminding them of the important role it plays.
Other support
Membership organisations, such as the charity PTA UK, can be an invaluable source of support for PTAs. Not only do they provide advice to those looking to set up a PTA, they also offer long-term benefits, such as on-going guidance, insurance, and opportunities to receive charitable grants. It also enables you to network with other PTAs and to share best practice.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the PTA has helped us to hugely improve the education of our students at Chudleigh, which is the goal of every parent, teacher and headteacher. I am surprised to speak to schools that haven't got a PTA and hope that more will start to make this a priority.
Despite common misconceptions, PTAs are not just about raising money, although this is one of their many great strengths. It is also about developing a strong, positive and collaborative relationship with parents.
- David Barnett is headteacher at Chudleigh CE Community Primary School in Devon.