Whether it’s to help buy school supplies, support the school sports teams, or enhance educational or enrichment activities and programmes, you are likely to need funding at some point as a teacher or headteacher. It can be overwhelming and worrying trying to come up with this money, but it doesn’t have to cause undue stress.
There are plenty of quick, easy fundraising ideas for schools out there – and we’ve made a list of the ones we think will be the most fun for you, your kids, and their friends and families.
There are loads of ways to successfully do fundraising in primary schools, but the ones which tend to work best are the ones which get parents, extended friends and family, and the wider local community involved. If you want something fun and exciting for everyone to take part in and raise the funds you need, you might consider:
School Fêtes
What’s a better event to host in any season than a fête? Whether it’s spring, summer, autumn, or winter, you can always organise an exciting function for your pupils, their friends and family, and the wider community as a whole. Depending on the time of year, you might even decide to give it a theme! fundraiser ideas for high schools
How does a summer funfair with traditional games like tombolas, coconut shies, and hooking ducks sound? Or an autumn fête that sells sweets and baked goods, and people pay to bob for apples? You might even be able to pair the event with a barbecue or hog roast, if you ask a local supermarket, store, or butcher’s to get involved and provide supplies.
If you want a few more ideas for what can go on at these fêtes, take a look at some of the ideas we’ve listed below.
Craft or Cake Sales
Sometimes it’s harder to get kids to stop making things than it is to get them to start, and this is only to be encouraged! If your pupils and their parents love to cook or make crafts, then you can always organise and sell these in a craft or bake sale at your school. To make sure everyone doesn’t make the same thing, you can give each class or year group a theme, or let people pick ideas out of a hat for what they want to make and sell. These can then be sold to other parents and pupils, or opened up to the wider community.
It’s even possible to combine cake sales with coffee mornings; set out a few tables and chairs, sell drinks like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and juice or fizzy drinks for the kids, and let parents unwind, catch up with each other, and add a little more to your funds.
Obstacle Course Challenges
Does your school playground have room for an obstacle course? Perhaps one has already been installed directly into your playground like our Super Sprint Trails and can be made a little longer and more difficult with some extra balls, bean bags, benches, hoola hoops, mats, skipping ropes, and space hoppers? If either of these are the case, you can always get your kids to design and build the ultimate challenge! For a donated fee or sponsorship, all the pupils in your school can then have a go at tackling the course.
Soccer Aid for UNICEF encourages schools to do this every year, so you might think of splitting the donations. Some of the money can go to your own funds, but the rest should be donated to UNICEF so all children are able to play, everywhere.
Discos
You are probably familiar with the school disco, so why not have one to get some money coming in for your cause? You can keep it to just students or invite their parents as well, but get some turntables set up (or a laptop and some speakers if you want more room), turn on those funky disco lights and smoke machine, and charge a small entry fee to get this party started! You can then sell fizzy drinks and snacks to add a little bit extra to the moneypot.
If you want another layer on top of these, you can always host a dancing competition, or a game of Musical Chairs or Musical Statues. A small entry fee (maybe 50p?) could then be charged to everyone who wants to take part.
World Book Day Events
A teacher’s and librarian’s favourite for many years now, World Book Day offers you a range of options for fundraising – all while getting the kids interested in reading! The charity event’s official website has plenty of ideas you can use for your own school, as well as advice on how to make it the best possible day for your pupils. If you want, you can even combine the idea of World Book Day with a non-uniform day or fancy dress competition, or even a Read-a-Thon or Spelling Bee, to boost funds.