MANAGING YOUR PTA – Class reps


parents to support the PTA. l Publicise PTA fundraising


Kingfisher class


that is the dealbreaker when it comes to more prominent roles such as chair, treasurer and secretary. Becoming class rep is a much


smaller commitment, with duties often fitted into just an hour a week. There’s also less paperwork, and reps mostly deal with parents they already know. Begin by inviting parents to take


on the role for a term and welcome them along to meetings, creating a low-risk way to get involved. Encourage people to sign up in pairs with friends to create a less daunting experience. Use testimonials from PTA+ magazine to help inspire less experienced volunteers, and make sure they know they can count on committee members for support and guidance.


Be sure to emphasise the positives: l It’s a great way to meet people and become more integrated into


the school community. l Volunteers learn new skills and become more actively involved in


raising money for the school. l The children get to experience


more of the memorable activities your PTA can provide. If no parents step forward


voluntarily, ask class teachers for recommendations. Who can resist the flattery of being approached and told, ‘Ms Smith suggested you’d make a great class rep’? Depending on the size of your


school and the number of volunteers, you may decide to appoint year reps instead. Remember that while fewer year reps are required, it does mean a heavier workload for each one. You could try appointing both class and year reps if you have enough people. Discuss options to see what would work best for your school.


What does a rep do? Before starting a recruitment drive,


it’s essential to agree on the role of 32 SPRING 2021 pta.co.uk


Class reps can dissemimate information, and give


parents a point of contact with a familiar face


your reps. Some PTAs invite class reps to attend monthly meetings, while others keep them in the loop by sending minutes of meetings or special requests. Some are elected at an AGM and


form part of an extended committee with voting rights, while others take a less formal role. Based on your decisions, draw up a job description to make the role easy for volunteers to understand. State how long you expect them to remain in post (eg. one academic year) and what they will be expected to do in that time.


Typically, class reps do the following: l Pass on information from the


PTA to other parents in their child’s class, collate the results of any parent surveys, and encourage


Hi everyone, I’m Marianne, your new PTA class rep


events and help sell tickets. l Attend the AGM and PTA


committee meetings. l Coordinate volunteers to help


with fundraising activities. With social distancing in place, you may wish to ask your class rep to organise a small event or fundraising drive


for one bubble. l Organise informal social


activities for parents and families in their child’s class, ranging from coffee mornings to end-of-year parties – either face-to-face or


virtual, depending on guideline.s l Seek feedback from parents on


PTA events or funding requests and pass it on to the committee. Recruit a new class rep towards


the end of the summer term to take over in the new academic year. Whatever you decide, make sure you let potential reps know that they will be supported in their duties.


A new approach With Covid-19 measures in place,


PTAs can’t currently have such a face-to-face, playground-orientated approach. Encourage reps to create class or year groups on platforms such as WhatsApp or Facebook or use existing groups to spread the PTA message informally. Suggest they start by posting a photo and a friendly introduction. If parents know who they’re approaching, they’re more likely to get involved.


Retaining your reps It takes time and effort to get reps


on board, so you’ll want to keep them in your team for as long as possible. Create opportunities such as rep meetings where they can voice concerns and make suggestions. Listen to what they have to say and give feedback. Nominate a contact on the committee so they can email any issues or worries. If you can, offer perks such as volunteer raffles and discounted event tickets. Always take the time to say thank you – if your reps enjoy the job, they may


hold the role for several years. l Visit pta.co.uk/running-a-pta for more inspiration.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60