Is your constitution older than your school’s Wi-Fi? Time for an update!
Image: A group of adults gathered around a table talking with pens and paper.
Step 1: Locate the elusive constitution
First things first—find the thing. If you’re a registered charity and listed as a trustee, you can call the Charity Commission on 0300 066 9197 and they’ll email you a copy. If you’re not listed, it might take a while (think snail mail speed), so it’s best to ask someone who is registered. If you’re on the committee, this is a golden opportunity to make sure everyone is properly registered. Then give them a ring.
If you’re not charity registered and can’t locate your constitution in the plastic bag that was handed to you last year, lucky you! You skip this step and head straight to the step 4.
Step 2: Decide if it’s time to retire the dinosaur
Your committee needs to agree that the constitution is no longer fit for purpose. Some tell-tale signs:
- It demands that three quarters of all school parents attend the AGM (spoiler: they won’t)
- It insists on electing a Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and five ordinary committee members. If you’ve only got four willing souls and no one else in sight, that’s a problem
- You want to hold meetings online, but your constitution was written before Zoom was a household name. Unless it explicitly says online meetings are allowed, you can’t just assume ‘it doesn’t say we can’t’ is good enough!
These are just a few reasons your constitution might be past its prime — but ultimately, it’s up to your committee to decide.
Step 3: Check if you need Charity Commission approval
Look for a section in your constitution titled something like ‘Amendments’. If it says you need prior written consent for certain changes, then yes — you’ll need to get approval if those are changing. Make a list of the changes you want to make and contact the Charity Commission with any questions. They’re surprisingly helpful!
Step 4: Call an EGM (or AGM if you’re quick!)
Once you’ve got the green light, you can call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to vote on the changes. Unless, of course, you’ve read this in time to squeeze it into your AGM. In which case — well played!
Just remember you have to advertise everything you plan to do at the AGM, giving the correct notice – so if you have already called the AGM then you will have to wait to adopt the constitution and call an EGM or postpone your AGM, you cannot surprise the members with anything that has not been advertised.
For further helpful guidance on the how-tos, please see our information sheet: PTA Constitution Guidance.
-
Welcome back! Key tasks for your PTA to focus on
03 September 2025We hope you’ve had a calm and relaxed summer break, filled with sunshine, laughter, and well-deserved downtime! As the school gates swing open and the buzz of a new school year begins, it’s time to start to switch into PTA mode once more… -
8 autumn fundraising ideas
11 September 2024It’s time to break out the pumpkins and cinnamon treats! Here’s our round-up of fundraisers and events for the autumn term.
