To bridge the gap? Voluntary action in primary schools

Abstract

Voluntary action has long played a role in state education, with parent–teacher associations being one of the most common forms of charitable organisation in England. However, education policy, driven by a growing free-market discourse and policy initiatives such as localism, is increasingly pushing for greater voluntary action. This article explores the distribution of voluntary action in primary schools in one local authority area in England. Drawing on primary data from 114 questionnaires completed by head teachers and secondary data from the financial records (2013/14) of 380 primary schools, we find evidence of considerable uneven dispersal of voluntary action between schools. These disparities are related to factors including school size, location, leadership ideology and the socioeconomic profile of the school. The consequence of this uneven distribution is that schools catering for more affluent communities are more likely to have additional resources than those with poorer profiles.

Engaging Children in Meaningful Charity: Opening‐up the Spaces within Which Children Learn to Give

“…This is not to suggest this is an unethical practice, but more that without critical discussion and debate children remain distanced from and unaware about the charitable cause they are seeking to support. Furthermore, research highlights that increasingly habitual activities such as non‐school uniform days and dress‐up days are problematic for families facing poverty (Mazzoli Smith and Todd, ), and that schools in wealthier areas fundraise significantly more than those in more deprived areas (Body et al , ). Indeed, Power and Taylor () conclude that ‘ the current mainstreaming of charities into schools is not necessarily a self‐evident “good” and that this under‐researched phenomenon deserves greater critical attention within and outwith schools’ (p. 702).…”

Volunteering and the Sustainable Development Goals: an opportunity to move beyond boundaries

“…Similarly, the section of the VNR that reports on progress against SDG4 -quality education -mentions the 29,000 business volunteers who have reached over 277,000 young people to provide help with employability and enterprise, various youth engagement programmes, and the International Citizen Service scheme which has supported 36,000 young volunteers to get involved in sustainable development projects (p72). It could also have referred to the 250,000 people involved as school governors and trustees (NGA, 2018), alongside the many more who are involved in other school-based roles such as supporting class-based activities and fundraising (Body et al, 2017), as well as supporting formal and informal educational activities through charities (including the growing number of volunteers now running libraries across England, CIPFA, 2013). There is also some evidence on the educational outcomes of volunteering, particularly for the volunteers themselves: it has, for example, been found to contribute to hard and soft skills and can, in some cases, lead to qualifications (e.g.…”

“…Nichols and Ralston, 2011). There is, however, also evidence of the limitations of volunteering in education, not least its uneven distribution which can exacerbate rather than enhance inequalities (Body et al, 2017).…”

“…Any volunteering -national and international, volunteering for development and volunteering for any other motivation or outcome, formal and informalcan be subject to issues of power, access and inequality. Such issues are more explicitly recognised and acknowledged in the writing and thinking about international volunteering, but same issues play out on the domestic field (see for example Holdsworth andQuinn, 2012 andBody, 2017). Those with the greatest resources (e.g.…”

The commissioner’s perspective: the lived realities of commissioning children’s preventative services in England and the role of discretion

“…Research reports widespread reductions in both the level and quality of services for disabled children, as services shift from preventative support to crisis management (Stalker et al, 2015). Whilst the greatest reform of school funding for the last 25 years (Institute for Fiscal Studies, 2017), has resulted in further marketization of education (Ball et al, 2012) and growing concerns about increasing inequalities (Body et al, 2017).…”