Parentkind

Connor Naismith MP visited Springfield School, Cheshire, recently, invited by their PTA, Friends of Springfield, to take part in the school’s own version of the BBC’s The Assembly. Springfield, which caters specifically for SEND pupils, used this format to give young people the freedom to ask whatever they like, with no question off-limits. Springfield’s sixth formers took full advantage. They moved confidently from light-hearted openers (“What’s your favourite colour?” and “Which Star Wars character would you be?”) to more challenging, substantive questions on fair pay for teachers and support staff, the state of local SEND provision and how political decisions translate into real-world consequences for schools. Connor responded with thoughtful, detailed answers throughout, and the level of engagement from pupils was striking - something he himself acknowledged in his reflections on the visit. For Springfield, this was more than a visit. It highlighted a school recognised as School of the Year at the 2022 National School Awards, driven by strong leadership, committed staff and a community that works in genuine partnership. Crucially, it showcased the role a proactive PTA can play. Friends of Springfield are clearly embedded in the life of the school, building relationships, raising the school’s profile and creating opportunities like this that give pupils a platform and strengthen parental engagement. From Parentkind’s perspective, this is exactly the kind of impact we want to see PTAs driving: meaningful involvement, stronger school–home partnerships and real advocacy for pupils’ needs, particularly in SEND settings where that voice is essential.  You can see a video of the Assembly here: https://lnkd.in/ePfU43uj

Parents want to see their children developing a love of reading - PTAs across the country support the development of school libraries, and fundraise for their refurbishment. It’s not just good for children’s learning, but also gives them access to a wealth of written word and beauty. It was great to hear the Chancellor announce £5 million for secondary school libraries in the Budget, and hear her pay tribute to Mark Sewards MP and Sureena Brackenridge MP in the announcement. We’ll be talking more about the importance of reading throughout next year, celebrating the Government’s National Year of Reading. It’s still our ambition to see a PTA in every school, and we’ll keep making the case for them. We have the evidence, the research from the UK’s largest annual parent poll, and the stories from our 14,000 members. As a reminder, if every school in England had a PTA: • Schools would see £125 million more every year. • Pupils would gain 11 million extra days in school through stronger attendance. • Parents and communities would be more involved, connected, and active in school life. We’ll keep pushing for a national commitment so that every school is encouraged to support a PTA.

With a day to go before the 2026 Budget, a commitment to supporting a PTA in every school could give communities more chances for participation with schools and lead to more fundraisers for educational opportunities. • Parentkind members are responsible for more than 120,000 community events each year, building links between parents, schools and communities • These events help them to raise £140 million every year for their schools and educational activities • We are ambitious – we want to help our members raise £2.5 billion for education in the next decade PTAs can go further, and we will help them. The Budget can reinforce that by committing to support a PTA in every school.

PTAs are vital parts of their communities – running pre-loved uniform shops, hosting food banks and running thousands of events which support schools. This is hugely important – our research has found that parents in poverty spend £2,000 a year on school costs. This includes school uniforms, trips and required technology.  If we can tackle these costs, we can give families in poverty up to 25% of their disposable income back – a huge boost to those in the most need! PTAs are part of this solution. If we can spread them to every school, they can fundraise and work together to support the community. This is the ambition the Budget can realise this week!

PTAs are a great way for parents and schools to work together on fundraising, community events and much more. The Budget has the chance to spread this opportunity to all schools. We know that these benefits aren’t yet spread equally across the country, so we’re working to support new PTAs in areas where they are less common. Our ambition is that every school has a PTA. At the moment, though: • Schools in more affluent areas are more likely to have a PTA, as are schools with an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted grade • There is a north/south divide when it comes to schools having PTAs, with fewer than half of schools in the North West, North East, and Yorkshire and the Humber having a PTA • This means disparities in the amount of money raised for education, and in the ability of schools to build communities A commitment to a PTA in every school can start challenging this, and support parents wherever they are in the country.

🎉 Well-deserved recognition for the entire RBA community. And credit to Peterborough Today for highlighting what genuine parent-friendly practice looks like when it’s done properly.

The Chancellor will be announcing her Budget in a week’s time, with a lot of difficult decisions. But supporting a PTA in every school should be an easy one. It’s something Parentkind wants to see, and it is in everyone’s interests. In fact, it will help schools with their own fundraising, rather than costing the Treasury. Already, Parentkind members raise £140 million every year for their schools: • We’ve got the ambitious plan to help them raise £2.5 billion for education over the next decade • Our fundraising data predicts there could be an extra £125 million a year for schools, if every school in England had a PTA supported by Parentkind • More than that, PTAs are associated with improved attendance, outcomes and community engagement Supporting our ambition for a PTA in every school would be a powerful way to make sure the Budget supports parents and schools working together.

Parents tell us that enjoying school really matters to them, this was a big part of our message to the government's recent Curriculum and Assessment Review. We used the term “happiness” and got to know Asher Silverman and the Learner Happiness team. It’s great to see them publish new insights on why being happy at school matters

Very enjoyable evening with the Prime Minister, members of the cabinet, education ministers Georgia Gould MP and Olivia Bailey MP, Larry the Cat, and a host of wonderfully impactful organisations to celebrate partnerships that deliver change. During the past year Parentkind has worked with Asda to deliver £5.8m to primary schools, worked with FatFace and others to deliver 10,000 new winter coats to primary children living in poverty, and Rubies to deliver 100,000 dressing up costumes to children on free school meals. Parentkind’s network of 24,000 parent groups and schools delivers magical experiences and outcomes for the nation’s children every day. Thank you to all who sacrifice their time and energy to serve others.

A welcome update from the Department for Education on school uniforms today. https://lnkd.in/e2T8vcR3   It stresses that the uniform policy should be easy for parents to access and understand. This is vital – 47% of parents told us over summer that they were worried about the cost of school uniforms for this academic year. Schools and parents can work together to tackle these costs, and remove worry.   Quality and cost of uniforms are both important. 83% of parents told us that unbranded items from supermarkets are just as good quality as branded items. Giving parents a choice about where to buy uniform can help those in need, while keeping a strong school ethos.