I was more than happy to fund raise for my DC's nursery.

When they went to primary I offered to come and listen to the kids read but was really annoyed at having to be CRB checked (I have been for a job in a hospital elsewhere).

I felt it was such a hassle and didn't bother.

Our preschool has a rota. I'm leaving it another half-term so DS is well and truly settled. If I go in now he'll think I can go in every day. Also have a baby and will be back at work FT next year so there won't be an opportunity then.

I would love to help out at the school my DSs go to, but they don't want parent helpers. I don't think we're 'good enough' for the school. It makes me very sad.

I didn't help much with my older child at pre-school because I also had a baby. Then when the baby grew up a bit and went to nursery himself, I was too busy grabbing chunks of time to do all the things I can't do so easily with kids in tow. I worked part-time too. I work full-time now so there's little opportunity. On the few occasions I did help out at nursery, I felt like I wasn't really needed.

One mum had helped with primary school baking with her youngest in tow, but when I offered to do the same the following year they wouldn't allow younger children.

I'm CRB checked and actually a former teacher, but there are other parents, non-teachers, who help at the school too. I think it's a good thing - provides a 'community' feel. Great for parents, too, to see what's going on in the classroom - if you believe what kids tell you, it can be worrying!

Becasue it is not always a good idea to have untrained parents around in a school. Youmay as well use already CRB checked, trained teaching assistants. I think parents in classrooms is generally a bad idea.

I would not want to volunteer in my chidren's school as me being there would have a bad effect on them.

I'm a volunteer for the Reception class at my daughter's school, where the kids 'read' to me once a week. I was also on the committee of the pre-school, where it was a hell of a hassle trying to find parents to help out. We had a rota where each non-working parent (who didn't have babies) would help out each session, preparing snacks and helping tidy and wash-up afterwards. It was always the same people that would help out - the rest would drop the kids and run!

Ditto the end of term deep-clean, where we'd ask parents to help give the premises a good once-over. Most never came and the burden fell to the usual faces. And as for filling committee positions - we almost closed several times from lack of interest.

I think many parents don't understand the concept of community pre-schools, and treat them like private nurseries. A great shame.