Buying Things For Your Classroom

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

 

I just have to get this of my chest!

 

After yet another treck to IKEA last weekend I am feeling rather miffed with the whole resource situation in our 3 Reception Classes. It is my first year in my school and I have found that after many turbulant years and misspending we have a very under resourced foundation stage.

 

The final straw came when I went into school yesterday after my Nursery Nurse kindly donated a morning of her time to do displays to find that the only colours left in the whole school to do our 'spring' topic display boards in was brown or red backing (red has been banned by my head) and purple edging.

 

Our head is giving us £500 between 3 Reception Classes but as we only have 3 outdoor bikes at present our head wants us to buy at least 2 more at around £70 each.

 

I have tried to be inventive and thrifty with things that we have got but I feel like I'm cheating my kids out of a proper foundation stage especially when it comes to the basics like 'we can't do painting or glueing today as we have got non left'

 

Thanks for hearing my moan

[Helen]

It must be so frustrating Your head doesn't seem to understand that a couple more bikes are not going to make that much difference to the quality of your provision!

When I've run out of backing paper, or have only got the wrong colours, I've got the children to roller paint over it whilst it's on the wall! (Low display boards in my place!) It's fine if you're going to cover it with lots of other work, so you don't see much of it.

[Guest]

Thanks helen for the advice, that is a really good idea obout the roller painting - my display boards are high up but I could use the 'white side' of the backing paper. Just looked in the catalogue at the price of poster paint 70p!!! We don't have any at the moment but at that price it can't be impossible to get.

[Guest]

Why don't you use the back of old rolls of wallpaper and either get the children to sponge or paint them? Sometimes you can pick up rolls for about 50p at B&Q. That way the display is all the children's work!

Linda

[Guest]

Do you have a scrap store near you? we are in Hertfordshire and for a one off annual membership you can visit as often as you want and help yourself to freebies of card, paper, boxes,fabric, wood etc donated by local companies...it's great! may be worth looking into..could save you lots of money long term

[Sue R]

Hi Han,

 

Welcome and thank you for posting!

 

Sue

[catma]

Must affect the rest of the school too? what do your other SMT say? Is there anyone else you can discuss this with? Art coordinator maybe?

 

Sometimes it is school budgetry restraints that limits spending on stock, could this be the case?

 

Cx

[Guest]

Thanks for the helpful advice everyone - I must admit I have already bought some wall paper that was going for £1 for 3 rolls (take samples for cutting and sticking also!)

 

Indeed Catma it has had a effect on everyone involved in the school - staff morale is quite low and there isn't much trust from SMT. We are all NQT's / Overseas staff (16 new in total) and just cann't believe what is happening.

 

Because of previous spending and current 'redecoration' of school site (19 classroooms) everything else seems to come second place - our head is really into plants so every corridor and space has a plant and painted pot, I get frustrated everytime I see a new one as I feel that the money could have gone on pencils (honestly we had NONE in Reception),

 

On a happier note as I don't want to moan A big hello to Han - People on here are really supportive you'll become addicted very easily ! - I am v. interested in the centre you mentioned, where abouts in Hertfordshire is it (i'm about 15 minutes from Harpenden)

 

Thanks

[Guest]

The scrap store is in welwyn garden city, behind B&Q! and is called 'wot ever' not sure if they have a website (details are at school so will pick them up next week and let you know) school membership is 75 pounds a year, individual is only 10 pounds ... they will open on request if you arrange it but otherwise i think it is thursday pm and saturday mornings. They have different things available every time you go, buttons, ribbon, foam, sponges, etc. and loads of paper and card. Anyway I will check the address /phone number and add it next week. Enjoy the rest of the holidays! Han

[Guest]

Sounds fab Han!

 

Welcome from me too, by the way!

 

I'm a big fan of scrap stores.

 

Wonder how long it would take me to get to Welwyn Garden City?

 

Maz

[fay]

I don't blame you for wanting to express your frustrations, I know exactly how you feel! We have the same problem in fact last year due to a school budget deficit there was NO funding alocated for reception and nursery. I haven't seen this years yet but I have a feeling we will be doing our own fundraising again.

We are short of all kinds of things but have been given new furniture we didn't ask for: OK the old stuff looked tatty but it was functional more than can be said for empty glue and paint containers.

[michaelle]

I understand your frustration as we are in the same boat! In fact I was only moaning today that the only milskin in the store cupboard was purple and there isnt any money for anymore at the mo. I think I might resort to painting the back of wall paper and hanging a daisy fabric drape that I found!

[Guest]

Dear Ladybug

 

Sounds awful - sometimes I am glad that I work in a community based group as we have so much more control over how we spend our money and parents are always donating things to us.

 

Anyway with regard to bikes - what about a three person trundle bike - I think it was either NES who had one for about £65 - it might have been even cheaper although I am not so sure of the height - this then can be used by three kids and you could then get a second bike with pedals perhaps. I have a two seater bike which is a great resource but doesn't come cheap - £120 but has been a brilliant investment, it gets used daily and after two years still looks brand - often the children try and get one standing at the back too!! Scooters are cheaper than bikes and you could probably get two for the price of a bike. Only advice I would say is you only get what you pay for and it is worth going for the best you can afford as it will get abused!

Well enjoy spending your £500 - can I ask does this include consumables like pencils, crayons paper etc ? If it does then I think it is outrageous and you had better get down the scrap shop soon with a big van

 

Another way might be to write to the larger printing firms in your area with your plight - they often have scraps which are just binned and it may be just worth a phone call or a letter. However, I realise that this shouldn't be part of your job - if you wanted to become a charity organiser I am sure you would have been one but needs must and you need to be able to deliver a curriculum and sometimes that just might involve using a pencil and paper!!

So good luck

Nikki

[Guest]

Thanks guys for support and more great advice,

 

Sadly to my best knowledge 'yes' Nikki we will have to replenish stocks of the 'basics' as anything ordered 'just' for Reception e.g. Trianglar pencils, Craft Materials etc will come out of that budget.

 

I know of a number of teachers of Reception Classes in other schools in my area who are saying that they feel under resourced - it is so hard when a lot of schools used to have quite 'formal' reception classes without the need for are much EY resources i.e. pre 'Foundation Stage Guidance'

 

A collegue from Canada says that a Canadian Union gives all it's members stickers / stamps with 'paid for by a teacher' on them!!!

 

PS Am REALLY excited about the scrap paper place !!!!! will be organising a trip as soon as possible!

 

Hope everyones easter hols are going ok

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

 

Went to the scrap store called 'Wot Ever' Yesterday and picked up a lovely big bit of card and some material which I have now turned into a garden centre!!! Thanks Han for the Tip!

 

Can highly recommend scrap places to anyone on a tight budget!

[Guest]

Glad you found it Hope lots of people join so that it keeps running!!