School Fundraising Ideas: 30 That Work for UK Primary Schools and PTAs
WearMoods
Short on time? The quick answer
- Raise the most: a Christmas fair or summer fair, a Secret Santa shop, and a sponsored event.
- Least effort: Christmas card designs, non-uniform days, uniform sales and shopping cashback.
- Free tools in this guide: an effort-vs-money chart, a printable 8-week Christmas fair planner and a letter to parents you can copy.
Every PTA committee has the same problem: lots to pay for, a small group of volunteers, and parents who are already asked for money all year. The best school fundraising ideas raise a decent amount without burning out the people running them.
Below are 30 fundraising ideas for primary schools that work well in the UK. Each has a rough effort and money label so your committee can compare them quickly. Further down you'll find a printable Christmas fair planner, a guide to pricing a Secret Santa shop and a letter to parents you can paste straight into your newsletter.
Before you start: three questions for your committee
- What are you raising for? "New playground equipment" gets more support than "PTA funds". Parents give more when they can see the goal.
- How many volunteers do you really have? Pick events for the people you have, not the people you wish you had.
- What's the upfront cost? Buying stock in advance is a risk. Sale-or-return deals and pre-orders remove most of it.
Which fundraisers are worth the effort?
We plotted the most common PTA fundraisers by how much volunteer time they take and how much they tend to raise. It's a rough guide, not a league table; a brilliant quiz night at your school might beat everything else. But it's a useful way to start a committee conversation.
A good year usually has one or two big hitters (the Christmas fair is the obvious one), three or four quick wins spread across the terms, and a couple of steady earners ticking along in the background.
Easy wins: low effort, steady money
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Shopping cashback schemes. · Effort: Low · Money: Small, steady
Parents shop online as normal and retailers donate a small percentage. Set it up once, then remind families before Black Friday and Christmas. -
Uniform sales. · Effort: Low · Money: Small, steady
Collect outgrown uniform and sell it at the school gate each term. Almost no cost, and families appreciate it. -
Non-uniform days. · Effort: Low · Money: Good
A £1 donation to wear your own clothes. Tie it to a theme, such as Christmas Jumper Day on Thursday 10 December 2026, so it feels like an event rather than a collection. -
Cake sales. · Effort: Low · Money: Small
Simple, popular and a good way to bring in new volunteers. Ask year groups to take turns baking. -
Match funding. · Effort: Low · Money: Can be big
Many employers match money raised by staff who volunteer. Ask parents to check with their HR team. It can double an event's total. -
Recycling schemes. · Effort: Low · Money: Small, steady
Textile banks, ink cartridges and old phones all bring in small, regular amounts. -
200 club or school lottery. · Effort: Medium · Money: Steady
Members pay a monthly amount and there's a regular prize draw. Check the Gambling Commission's rules for small society lotteries first.
Christmas fundraising ideas for schools
The autumn term is when most PTAs raise the most, so plan your Christmas fundraisers early. Most committees start in September or October.
-
Christmas fair. · Effort: High · Money: Biggest
The big one. Mix stalls that make money (tombola, raffle, refreshments) with ones that bring families in (Santa's grotto, crafts). Use the free planner below. -
Secret Santa shop. · Effort: High · Money: Big
Children buy small presents for their family in a supervised "shop" run by volunteers. It's one of the most loved Christmas fundraisers in primary schools. See the pricing and stock guide below. -
Christmas card designs. · Effort: Low · Money: Good
Children draw a picture and a company prints it onto cards, mugs or tea towels for parents to order. Very little volunteer time, and families love the result. -
Christmas raffle. · Effort: Medium · Money: Good
Ask local businesses for prizes. A short, friendly letter on PTA headed paper works better than an email. -
Christmas jumper swap. · Effort: Low · Money: Small
Families donate outgrown jumpers and buy "new" ones for £1–£2 before Christmas Jumper Day. -
Breakfast with Santa. · Effort: Medium · Money: Good
Ticketed, so you know your numbers in advance and don't waste food. -
Christmas tree sales. · Effort: Low · Money: Good
Partner with a local tree supplier who pays the school a commission on each tree ordered through the PTA. -
Festive gift stall. · Effort: Medium · Money: Good
Small, affordable presents parents can buy for teachers, grandparents and Secret Santa. Boxed socks, candles and chocolates sell well because they're easy to give and cost under £15. -
Christmas disco or film night. · Effort: Medium · Money: Good
Easy to run, with a ticket price that includes a drink and a snack.
Free printable: 8-week Christmas fair planner
Most fair stress comes from things left too late: raffle prizes, Santa and volunteers. This countdown spreads the work over eight weeks. Print it, stick it on the PTA noticeboard and tick it off as you go.
Working backwards: if your fair is on Saturday 5 December 2026, "8 weeks to go" is the week of 5 October. A fair on Saturday 28 November means starting the week of 28 September, so if that's you, you're already in week 8.
Christmas fair stall ideas that make money
| Stall | Why it works | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Tombola | Donated prizes, £1 a go: almost pure profit | Ask each class for a themed donation (bottles, chocolate, toiletries) |
| Refreshments | Often the most profitable stall of the day | Mince pies, hot chocolate and mulled apple juice; check food hygiene rules |
| Santa's grotto | Brings families in and keeps them there | Sell timed tickets to stop the queue snaking round the hall |
| Raffle | Local businesses donate the prizes | Sell and draw tickets on the day to keep it simple (see FAQ) |
| Guess the sweets | Costs one jar, raises far more | Put a name-and-number sheet on a clipboard and count in front of children |
| Bottle stall | Every ticket wins something | Mix squash and bubble bath with a few "big" bottles |
| Hook-a-duck / lucky dip | The younger children's favourite | Run by older pupils for extra helpers |
| Gift stall | Ready-to-give presents for adults | Price at round numbers (£5, £10, £15) to keep the queue moving |
How to run a Secret Santa shop: pricing and stock
The Secret Santa shop is the event children talk about for weeks. It needs more planning than most, because you buy stock up front. The easiest way to keep it under control is to stick to three fixed price points.
| Price | Good stock ideas | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| £1 | Pencils, rubbers, hair bobbles, chocolate coins, bookmarks | Brothers, sisters, cousins |
| £3 | Notebooks, small candles, keyrings, hand cream, tree decorations | Grandparents, aunties and uncles |
| £5 | Festive socks, mugs, bigger chocolate, photo frames | Mum, Dad, carers |
How much stock? Multiply the number of pupils by the average number of gifts each buys (often 3–4 for family), then add 10–15% so the last class still has a choice. For 200 pupils buying 3 gifts each, that's about 600 items plus 60–90 spares. Sale-or-return stock makes the spares risk-free.
- Money in named envelopes with a list of who the child is buying for. Volunteers can then help children stick to the plan.
- Gift bags and tags ready, so presents go home wrapped and secret.
- Shop by class, with one volunteer per four or five children for the youngest years.
Stocking a gift stall or Secret Santa shop?
Christmas socks are one of the easiest things to sell: they're light, don't go off, fit most adults and are easy to price. Our festive pairs are £5 each and the 4-pair gift box is £15, so selling the pairs from a box at £5 each raises £5 for the school per box.
See Christmas socks for school fundraising for how to order for your school, or browse the Christmas range →
Ho Ho£5 · a £5 shop favourite
Holly Berry£5 · classic for Grandad
Gift box, 4 pairs£15 · a raffle or tombola prize
Ready-to-copy letter to parents
Send this about six weeks before your fair. Change the words in [brackets], paste it into your newsletter, ParentMail or class WhatsApp, and you're done.
Subject: Our Christmas Fair is on [Saturday 5 December]: can you help?
Dear parents and carers,
Our Christmas Fair is on [day, date] from [time] to [time] in the school hall, and we'd love you to come along. There will be Santa's grotto, a tombola, a raffle, crafts, refreshments and lots more.
This year we're raising money for [new reading books for every class]. Our target is £[amount], and every penny goes straight back to the children.
Three ways you can help:
- Donate: please send in tombola prizes, bottles or unopened chocolates by [date]. There will be a box by the office.
- Volunteer: even 30 minutes on a stall makes a huge difference. Sign up here: [link or reply slip].
- Come along and bring friends: grandparents, neighbours and little ones are all welcome.
We'll take cash and card on the day.
Thank you so much for your support.
[Name], on behalf of the [School name] PTA
Tip: send a short reminder two weeks before and again the day before, with the donation deadline and the sign-up link.
Bigger events: more effort, bigger totals
-
Summer fair. · Effort: High · Money: Biggest
The other big event of the year. The fair planner above works for summer too. -
Sponsored walk, read or bounce. · Effort: Medium · Money: Big
Children collect sponsorship; online sponsorship pages make collecting easier. -
Quiz night. · Effort: Medium · Money: Good
For parents, with a bar and a raffle. -
Auction of promises. · Effort: High · Money: Big
Parents and local businesses offer services: a meal cooked, a week in a holiday cottage, an hour of tutoring. -
School discos. · Effort: Medium · Money: Modest
One for each key stage. -
Bingo night. · Effort: Medium · Money: Modest
Easy to run and good for all ages. -
Talent show. · Effort: High · Money: Modest
Lots of rehearsals for a modest ticket income. Do it for fun, not for the money. -
Fun run or colour run. · Effort: High · Money: Big
Takes real planning, but can be the biggest earner of the year.
Year-round ideas
-
School-branded items. · Effort: Medium · Money: Steady
Bags, water bottles and tea towels with the school logo or children's artwork. -
Second-hand book sale. · Effort: Low · Money: Small
Ask for donations a fortnight before; sell at pick-up time. -
Bag2School-style clothing collections. · Effort: Low · Money: Small
A company collects bags of unwanted clothes and pays by weight. -
Plant and seed sale. · Effort: Medium · Money: Small
Spring term; children can grow and pot the plants. -
Grandparents' afternoon tea. · Effort: Medium · Money: Modest
Ticketed, gentle and a lovely event to run. -
Local business sponsorship. · Effort: Low · Money: Good
For events, kits or the newsletter. Offer a thank-you in return.
How to make each event raise more
- Take card payments. Fewer parents carry cash, and a card reader often pays for itself at the first event.
- Pre-sell where you can. Tickets, pre-orders and sign-up sheets reduce waste and tell you what to buy.
- Use sale-or-return stock. If you're selling gifts, ask suppliers whether you can return what you don't sell.
- Thank people publicly. Tell parents how much you raised and what it's paying for. It makes the next event easier.
- Claim Gift Aid on eligible donations if your PTA is a registered charity.
Save it for your next PTA meeting
Save this one-page summary to your phone or Pinterest so it's to hand when the committee meets.
More guides for parents and PTAs
- Christmas Jumper Day 2026 ideas for school, with a free bingo card
- Christmas gifts for teachers, with a printable thank-you card
- Secret Santa gifts under £10: 25 ideas compared
- Christmas socks for school fundraising: how to order for your fair
Frequently asked questions
What is the most profitable fundraiser for a primary school?
It depends on your school, but Christmas and summer fairs usually raise the most in one go. Easy schemes like shopping cashback and uniform sales bring in steady money with little effort. Most PTAs do best with one or two big events and several low-effort ones.
What are good Christmas fundraisers for schools?
A Christmas fair, a Secret Santa shop, Christmas card designs, a raffle and a Christmas Jumper Day non-uniform day. The first two raise the most; card designs and Jumper Day take the least effort.
When should we start planning a Christmas fair?
About eight weeks before, so September or early October for a late-November or early-December fair. Our 8-week planner breaks it down week by week.
How do we run a Secret Santa shop?
Set up a room with gifts at three fixed prices (for example £1, £3 and £5), let children shop by class with parent volunteers, and have gift bags and tags ready. Ask parents to send money in a named envelope with a list of who the child is buying for.
Do PTAs need a licence for a raffle?
A raffle held as part of an event, with tickets sold and drawn on the day, usually doesn't need a licence. Raffles with tickets sold in advance may need registering with your local council. Check the Gambling Commission's guidance for your situation.
What should we sell on a Christmas gift stall?
Small, giftable items under £15 that don't depend on size or taste: festive socks, candles, chocolates and tree decorations. Price at round numbers to keep the queue moving.
