To join or not to join? What it's really like to be on the PTA and why schools need them more than ever
From passive-aggressive WhatsApps to school-saving fundraisers, we unpack the pros and cons of joining the Parent Teacher Association —and why schools depend on them more than ever.
You either know one, are one… or quietly dread becoming one. We’re of course talking about the PTA parent!
If you’ve watched Motherland you’ll recognise them as the slightly manic one who's always on the school parents’ WhatsApp group asking for the tombola donations, badgering people to join the bake sale rota and firing out last minute requests for a gazebo when the weather suddenly threatens the school fair. But not all PTA parents are like Amanda. Many of them are unsung heroes who are the quiet force behind the scenes, raising thousands for new playground equipment without ever demanding applause.
And while many parents shudder at the idea of signing up, for some parents, joining the school’s PTA is a brilliant way to feel part of the community, make friends, and make a genuine difference. For others though, it’s an overwhelming mix of politics, pressure and passive-aggressive emoji reactions in group chats.
But love them or hate them, PTAs are doing more than organising cake sales these days. As school budgets shrink and staff juggle more than ever before, PTAs are increasingly being relied upon to fund essentials – not just the ‘nice-to-haves’.
So, what’s it really like being part of one? Should you volunteer? Is it OK if you just… don’t? And are there other ways to help the school that doesn’t involve attending termly committee meetings? We spoke to real parents to find out the truth behind the PTA –and why it’s more complicated (and more important) than it looks.
What exactly is a PTA and why do they exist?
The PTA stands for Parent Teacher Association (also known as the Parent Association in some schools) and is a group of parents who work with teachers at the schools to improve school facilities and learning experiences for the students.
The main aim of the PTA is to raise money for facilities, activities and resources that can be funded within the school’s annual budget. The PTA also helps bring the whole school community together and to facilitate better communication between staff and parents.
Where PTAs might once have been all about having a nice chat over tea and biscuits and organising the odd bake sale or second-hand uniform shop, they now have a much broader remit and support the school in a number of ways including:
- Being a channel of communication between school and parents
- Fundraising for resources that enrich the students’ education and wellbeing
- Organising field trips, school discos, seasonal events, workshops and guest speakers to foster a love of learning and fun amongst student body
- Organising social events for the adults to create a sense of community amongst teachers and parents
- Advocating for students and influencing school policies and issues as the voice of the parents, including on subjects like curriculum and student well-being.
Not all PTAS are the same though. Some are power microcosms full of former-CEO parents with too much time on their hands and a need to be in charge, while others have been known to cause playground punch-ups and host black tie balls with auctions containing lots that sell for thousands.
At the less dramatic end of the scale, your average PTA meets up on a termly basis to discuss smaller scale fundraising for attainable items like new playground equipment or organise coffee mornings and end of term parties for the kids.
The pros: Why parents swear it’s worth it
To join or not to join: that is the question. While taking on another responsibility as a parent might seem like a crazy idea, helping out on the PTA isn’t just an extra chore and had some surprising benefits for these pro-PTA parents:
“When my first daughter started reception, I wanted to be involved in the school community so joined the PTA, but the expectations from class parents was quite high at that school,” says Andrea Dunkley Cepeda. “She’s at a different school now and I’ve decided to join again this year as everyone seems a bit more relaxed. Being on the PTA helps me to not forget all the events and things going on in her class and my aim for this year is to do more social events for the parents.”
The ability to give back to the school and the amazing teaching staff is a huge reason for many mums and dads to get involved:
“I’m part of the PTA and the chair of the PTA roped me in before the school year even started,” says Siobhan Gunson. “I honestly didn’t realise how much work goes into the events, but I love being able to help out and give back to the school.
“We do great things like colour runs, summer and Christmas fairs, and this year we will be doing a winter light trail with handmade lanterns by all the kids in the school (my mum is an artist and I’ve roped her in!). Money from the PTA events have raised enough to kit out the IT room, build a new climbing frame, and fund trips and activities.”
And if the personal benefits don’t encourage you to join, imagine the warm glow you’d get from knowing you’d played a pivotal role in raising around £9,000 annually for your child’s school, which is the average amount school PTAs raise according to Parentkind.org.uk, the membership association for school PTAs. That was the case for one PTA parent:
“I've been Chair of our PTA for nearly four years now,” says Stephanie Pordum. “I've really enjoyed doing it, but it doesn't come without its stresses! There can be long hours, especially around big events, but it's worth it when you see how much you've raised for the school. Government funding is shocking right now and sometimes doesn't even cover the basics for the academic year, so the work of PTAs and all volunteers is so important.”
In really small village schools the PTA can make a huge and noticeable difference to all aspects of school life.
“I'm part of our PTA and really enjoy it,” says Elisa Miles. “Our school has less than 40 kids in it, but we get so much support from all the parents and have raised a few thousand this year. I think the best thing we’ve done, along with the usual fetes, is the chocolate bingo. That was so well supported.”
The cons: Bake sale burnout, group chat drama and invisible labour
It’s not all making friends and feeling warm and fuzzy about your volunteering efforts though, and there are definite downsides for some PTA parents. If you have a full-time job and lots of other commitments or just hate the pressure of organising events, it might be best to steer clear…
“I found myself on a Preschool Committee after a mum friend promised me it was all meetings in the pub and laughs over a glass of wine,” says mum-of-two Claire Chapman. “Now five years later I’m still on the committee and feel like I can’t leave, plus there’s been a lot more admin and event organisation than wine! We even had a year full of legal battles and awkward meetings after a problem with our lease. I honestly wish I’d never agreed to it!”
And while most PTA parents are lovely, generous and level-headed, there’s no smoke without fire and the hilarious depictions of PTA politics on TV shows are often inspired by real life anecdotes...
“I’m secretary of my sons’ school’s PTA and have definitely had my fair share of PTA politics,” says Natasha Bird. “Once when the new Chair and former Chair had a massive fall out, they called a meeting to sort things out and asked me to be mediator! The meeting ended in a massive screaming match!”
Before you join you need to consider things like the time commitment and whether emotionally you’re able to cope with any tensions between parents and school staff that might arise. If you answer yes to the following statements, you’ll probably thrive on the PTA:
- I enjoy event planning
- I can say no to overcommitment
- I want to be fully in the know about what’s happening at school
- I have time to give (even just a little)
- I am happy to ask people for fundraising money
- I am willing to work collaboratively
- I am organised and can be trusted to get things done
Why schools need PTAs more than ever
The pandemic, followed by the cost-of-living crisis has had far reaching financial consequences for everyone including schools, who have seen a big decline in the annual amount of fundraising money as well as huge budget pressures. And while the May 2025 spending review revealed that schools would receive an extra £4.5 billion over the next four years, in real terms – with spiralling costs in areas such as electricity and salaries – this equates to very little extra spending power for schools.
Some schools are struggling more than others and aren’t even able to afford what many of us consider educational basics like reference books, computers and sports equipment. Last year, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said that just 1% of schools had enough money to cover basic costs and 70% of schools now receive less funding from the government than they did in 2010.
This means voluntary contributions and fundraising from PTAs are more important than ever. Examples of what PTAs have paid for in the last year include everyday educational basics like desks and classroom furniture, class syllabus books, library books, art supplies, items for forest school and musical instruments.
So even if you’re not feeling like joining the PTA for community-minded reasons, there could be a very personal reason to join – to ensure your child has access to all the opportunities and resources possible in this tricky financial era.
How to help your child’s school without joining the PTA
Time-poor and hate committee meetings, but still want to help?
If you know the PTA is just not for you, but you want to give something back to the school community, here are some ideas for things to do that don’t involve taking meeting minutes or flogging brownies for a pound a piece.
- Bake a cake for the bake sale (or buy one!).
- Volunteer to help at events – fireworks night, summer fairs, sports days or concerts. If you don’t like the idea of being parent facing, offer your help with moving furniture and set up/ take down.
- Donate a raffle prize or classroom supplies.
- Offer your professional services – perhaps you work in marketing, social media, design, photography, etc and can help with posters or getting the word out about fundraising events.
- Share information about fundraising initiatives with other parents and the wider community.
- Attend any workshops and events set-up by the PTA as well as the annual AGM
Mum Jen Dooris has found this to be the perfect halfway house for her current situation:
“I'm a volunteer with ours and don't have an actual role but I help out where I can with events and fundraising,” she says. “I wanted to be more involved with the events that were put on and to show my son that I was present where I could be (I work part time), but I’m not able to be fully involved due to having a younger child as well. Once she's at school I’ll hopefully be able to take on a bigger role.”
So, whether you love them or loathe them, there’s no denying the PTA parents are needed more than ever in today’s financial climate.
If you can put up with the classic PTA characters (the power-seeking ex-CEO, the token dad, the reluctant secretary, the I’m-only-here-for-the-wine mum, the always late mum of 6, the OTT ideas parent, and the head-teacher’s-best-friend mum) then you may just find you have a lot of fun, while doing a lot of good.