School disco, what goes on at your dc's?

[Eddas]

I recently helped out at dd's schools junior disco for the first time(dd is in year 1, disco is for juniors only). I know the PTA see the disco as more of a service than a fundraiser, TBH I foudn this weird since IMO you should take every opportunity to make something from an event. I have been on the pre-school committee for 2 years so know how hard it is to raise even a small amount.

I thought it was odd for 2 reasons. First they charge entry(roughly £2-2.50 per child) and then the children get free squash all night and 2 bags of crisps. Secondly, that's it, apart from the disco. So they arrive, boogie, the hatch opens and they let them have drinks whenever, then they let them loose with a bag of crisps and they can come back for a 2nd if they wish

I was chatting to a friend and she said at their disco the entry price includes one packet of crisps and one cup of squash, the entry price was roughly the same. They then sell plastic glowing tatt things(rings, necklaces etc etc) sweets, extra squash, hair spraying(coloured/glitter) tattoos and have a face painter.

She said they raise approx £700 from max of 270 children. Our school only has max 120 children as they are junior only discos(infant discos have been discussed but most of the committee felt it should remain a junior privilage), but I think we could raise at least something by taking on some of these ideas.

I'm thinking of raising this with the committee and explaing that they may be missing out on some much needed money by limiting the things that happen at the disco.

So, what happens at your dc's disco?

[muggglewump]

We pay £2.50 a ticket, it's held in the social club which is on our estate (Navy estate, the School is here too, though it's not all Navy anymore) and the kids can buy sweets/juice/crisps. I typically give DD £1.50 and it's plenty.
They hire a local DJ, he's really good fun and the kids have a ball.
I let DD go to her first one in P1 and a few of the Mums felt it was too young and got a bit cat's bummy about it, but I knew DD would love it, and she did.

[MerlinsBeard]

Its £1.50 per child. Nothing included except DJ obviously!

They can buy sweets/fruit/chocolate and bottled water/flavoured water. They sometimes sell of crap stuff left over from fairs like bottles of shampoo from the bottle tombola etc

The kids are either dancing in the middle boys and girls) running up and down and sliding on their knees (boys) or comparing sparkly bracelets (girls and my DS2!)

Each one makes a couple of hundred pounds or so for the PTA. I am assuming thats after the DJ has been paid.

[MerlinsBeard]

LMAO @ cat's bummy !!

ha ha ha!!!

[Eddas]

thanks ladies. Looks like we may be missing a trick then.

Personally I feel the ticket price should cover the DJ and unlimited squash(doesn't cost much) and then we buy sweets/crips etc and charge them on. I know some of the committee will be all 'but I don't want my dc eating blah blah' but they already offer each child 2 packets of crisps!! and also as a parent you can decide how much to give your child for the extras, or give nothing and they'll be able to get a drink.

I also at cat's bummy, that's the face some of the committee pulled at the mention of an infants disco

[Clary]

Our discos cost £3 and you get bag of sweets and drink.

IIRC we usually sell about 200 tickets (300 DC in school) and make about £500 from that.

Like the idea of selling extra tat tho - as long as you can make money (fingers have been burned too often on PTA by buying stuff then not selling it!).

BTW we used to do infants disco but parents had to be there too. They have stopped now because of various issues which is a shame as they were good money-spinners.

[mrz]

£1 a ticket plus tuck shop for juniors

DJ usually teaches the infant children the dances (novelty type )games like musical statues with small prize infants leave parents buy sweets to take home if they wish juniors arrive spend all the time eating and drinking.
not really done as a fund raiser

[primarymum]

pretty much the same as mrz, we have a small school so only get about 40 children per disco. £1 entry and then the children can buy bottled water or "penny sweets" ( although we set a limit on these ever since one child bought £1's worth and then threw up in the hall! The PTFA run the disco, whilst the Head organises the games-we have 3/4 over the evening and the PTFA provide prizes. Parents don't stay but there is usually at least one member of staff "on patrol". We don't raise much money but the children have fun!

[Smithagain]

£1.50 for ticket, 25p each for raffle tickets (optional), 20p for lemonade or crisps, 10p for juice.

Nothing else on sale. Kids dance/chat/chase boys(in DD's case ) and slide around the floor on their knees (all boys). DJ is a local teenager who is developing a lucrative sideline in discos for under 11s!

I don't know how much is raises, but it's a very popular end of term treat and DD1 loves it. She is in Year 3. At last week's disco she had three packets of crisps - and brought a fourth home for me. Next time, she will be taking less money .

[Eddas]

hmmm so the latest posts suggests our PTA are not bonkers to be not making any cash

THe local teenager doing the disco gives me an idea actually. One of the parents in dd's class used a teenager for her son's party. Wonder if he's significantly cheaper than our current man might be worth checking

[mowcop]

At half term we have a night time 6-7.30 disco which we charge £1 on the door for then sell sweets, crisps and drinks and also glo bracelets which we bought in bulk from ebay. We also do tattoos and nail painting.

When it is "full term"!?! we have a disco tea straight after school. The charge is £2.50 and the children have tea and pudding as well as a dance and some party games.

There are less than 90 children in the school and we tend to make a nice profit from the night time discos, then maybe £30ish from the tea time ones.

The children love them though.

[Eddas]

that sounds like a nice idea for the infants, straight after school and a few party games. Pretty sure the committee would 'cats bum' the idea though. But the kids would love it

[mowcop]

It's quite easy really. We use throw away everything for serving on and generally serve something fast like hot dog and chips. It is made especially easy as one of the committee supervises school kitchens (including ours) for her job, so she knows where everything is and works the fryer etc.

[Eddas]

I think our cooks are very prcious over their kitchen so that might not work well for us.

Thanks for all the input so far, would love to hear what other schools do too. Then I can weigh up if it's worth pushing for our committee to do more

[MerlinsBeard]

WE have an infants one at 6-7 and then the junior one is 7:15 until 8:30.

As for teaching dances - hmm well that seems to be me (i did used to teach dance to "young ones")

[SixtyFootDoll]

Ours sell hamburgers and hot dogs a pound a go.
Sweets and drinks.
Raffle tickets,

Entry is £2

[UniS]

Last kids disco made about 80 quid profit from 60 kids, entry 1.50, glow stick 20p, drink 10 p, sweets 1 or 2 p. raffle tix 20 p. costs were about 80 quid to hire hall and DJs and buy raffle prizes ,sweets and drinks glow sticks to sell on.

Games were very popular, other wise boys ran about or slid on knees or tried to nick each others glow sticks. Girls danced or "did hair" or ran about. was bedlam, but the kids enjoyed it. local pub did quite well from waiting parents too.

[willali]

OUrs was £5 entry and there were various things to buy at 20p each eg "make-up", nail painting, glitter hairspray, glow bands, sweets, crisps (all done by volunteer mums and older sisters). JUice free. Girls encouraged to bring no more than £1. Disco was one of those where the DJ and helpers encourage group dancing etc.

[HappyMummyOfOne]

£1 non uniform day/entry and then there is a tuck shop, tattoos and sometimes glow sticks. Open to whole school as only approx 80 children in school anyway.

Its held at the school and a teacher does the dj part.

[blametheparents]

One of the Dads runs the school disco, he is a DJ a luckily for us does it free of charge.
Infants disco - 5pm til 6pm. £2 includes cup of squash and penguin style biscuit. DJ stops music for a bit so all the littluns sit down and have a snack at the same time.
Juniors is 6.15 til 7.30, also £2, but there is a Tuck Shop which sells loads of rubbish!
Year 3 kids get all excited about their first Junior disco cos they can spend money at the Tuck Shop. It is usually worked out so that £1 will buy a drink, packet of crisps and some sweets.
Some teachers stay to help, and we have PTA helpers too

[Eddas]

fab some more ideas to ponder, thank you

[Gubbins]

Two discos, one for Foundation/KS1 and one for KS2. Tickets £1.50, teacher as DJ and we sell squash, crisps, hot dogs, sweets and glow sticks. I'm not sure how much profit is made but a pretty good amount, I'd have thought.

[Rebeccaj]

We do them at Christmas, and have a foundation/KS1 one at 3.30-4.15 then a KS2 one at 4.30-5.30. Cost about £2 which includes a juice/fruit shoot, and a biscuit. We have a DJ package which includes a couple of dancers who lead the kids in dances which seems to go down well. Then the kids go see Father Christmas and get a pressie, (a book). Not very profitable, but we do it as a fun thing for the kids as much as anything and it's always very well attended.

[IloveJudgeJudy]

We do junior discos only and it's one per term (3 per year). £3.00 per ticket, 7-9 pm and sell penny sweets already made up into 20p bags, glowsticks, crisps, other sweets and soft drinks. It's a good moneyspinner and children really enjoy. We put a £5.00 limit on the amount of cash children can bring as some were bringing £20! notes.