What a PTA constitution is for
A constitution is the rulebook for your PTA or Friends of School group. It records why the group exists, who can join, how the committee is chosen and how decisions about money are made.
This guide is a planning aid for UK PTAs and Friends of School committees. It is not legal or financial advice. Check your own governing document and the guidance from the charity regulator for your nation before making changes.
Parentkind describes a constitution as the governing document that sets out the rules and procedures committee members must follow. It says it is good practice to adopt one when a PTA starts. Parentkind's governance guide adds that a constitution is usually required if you plan to register as a charity or open a PTA bank account. Many grant funders ask for one too.
Is your PTA a charity?
Many committees assume charity status is a choice. PTA+'s charity governance FAQs explain that charity law decides it. A group with exclusively charitable purposes that operates for the public benefit is a charity in law, and a PTA is likely to be one whether or not it is on the register.
Registration is a separate question. In England and Wales, GOV.UK's set up a charity guide says you must apply to register with the Charity Commission if the charity's income will be at least £5,000 a year, or if it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). A PTA below that level can still be a charity. It may choose to register with HMRC to be recognised for tax purposes, for example to claim Gift Aid.
GOV.UK notes that Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules.
| Where your school is | Charity regulator | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | Charity Commission for England and Wales | Set up a charity on GOV.UK |
| Scotland | Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) | Becoming a charity in Scotland |
| Northern Ireland | Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) | Starting a new charity |
Check the regulator for your nation before relying on any income threshold.
What a constitution usually covers
The Charity Commission's guidance on how to write your charity's governing document (CC22b) lists the sections it expects to see. For a PTA, each one raises a practical question.
| Section | What it covers | Question for your committee |
|---|---|---|
| Name | The group's full name and the power to change it | Does the name match the bank account and any registration? |
| Objects | What the PTA exists to achieve | Do the objects still describe what you do? |
| Powers | What the committee may do to carry out the objects | Can you raise funds, insure activities and open accounts? |
| Membership | Who is a member and how membership ends | Are parents, carers and staff included? |
| Committee and officers | Numbers, eligibility, elections and terms of office | How are the chair, secretary and treasurer appointed? |
| Meetings and voting | AGMs, committee meetings, notice, votes and quorum | How many people must attend for a decision to count? |
| Finances | Accounts, bank account control and signatories | How many signatures does a payment need? |
| Trustee benefit | Rules that stop committee members benefiting | How are expenses claimed and approved? |
| Amendments | How the constitution can be changed | Who must agree a change, and at what meeting? |
| Dissolution | How the PTA closes and what happens to its assets | Where would any remaining money go? |
Objects and powers
The objects are the group's purposes. In England and Wales, CC22b says each purpose must be charitable and for the public benefit, and a charity must be run in line with its purposes only. Powers are the tools you use to pursue the objects, such as fundraising, buying equipment or giving money to the school.
Membership and officers
Write down who the members are. Then set out the committee: the minimum number, the officer roles, how they are elected and how long they serve. PTA+ advises a minimum of three trustees, usually the chair, treasurer and secretary. Our PTA roles and responsibilities guide explains what each role involves.
Meetings and quorum
The constitution should say when the AGM is held, how much notice members get and how votes are counted. A quorum is the minimum number of people who must be present for a decision to be valid. Set a number you can realistically reach. Our PTA AGM guide covers planning and running the meeting.
Finances
CC22b expects the financial section to explain who controls the bank account, who can sign and whether two signatures are needed. The Commission's guidance on internal financial controls (CC8) adds that a charity's accounts should be in its own name, matching the name in its governing document.
Amendments and dissolution
Say how the constitution can be changed and who must agree. The dissolution clause explains what happens to any money left if the PTA closes. CC22b notes that charitable assets can only be used for charitable purposes.
Start from a model constitution
You rarely need to write a constitution from scratch. There are two main routes.
- Parentkind model constitutions. Parentkind publishes model constitutions for its member PTAs. Its model constitution for England and Wales states that it is pre-approved by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Members who adopt it without changes, apart from the association details, are eligible for fast-track charity registration. A separate model exists for Northern Ireland. The documents are copyright and available only to Parentkind members.
- Charity Commission model governing documents. The Commission publishes model governing documents, including a model constitution for a small charity, one for an unincorporated charity and CIO constitutions. CC22b recommends using a model as a template because it makes registration easier.
Parentkind's guidance notes also explain that its model creates an unincorporated association, so committee members are personally liable for the charity's acts and defaults. It suggests considering a charitable company or a CIO if a PTA takes on loans, building works, staff or similar liabilities. Take advice before choosing a structure.
Adopt it properly
A constitution only applies once your group agrees to use it. CC22b says the trustees should meet to discuss and agree the document, record that decision in the minutes and, for most charity types, sign it. The Parentkind model also includes a declaration signed by the chair of the adopting meeting and witnessed by a member who was present.
Keep the signed copy with your governance records and note the adoption date. If a new chair cannot find the current version, PTA+'s trustee FAQs suggest checking the Charity Commission register and asking the Commission for a copy.
Review and amend your constitution
Read the constitution at least once a year, ideally before the AGM, and compare it with how the PTA really works. Typical gaps include an old school name, a quorum nobody can reach, or payment rules written for cheques when you now pay suppliers online.
In England and Wales, the Commission's guidance for unincorporated associations changing their governing document (CC36) says:
- changes must be in the charity's best interests and follow the right rules
- changes are agreed by the trustees and then usually by the members
- some changes, such as changing the charity's purposes, need Commission authority before they take effect
- you must tell the Commission about all changes to your governing document
If you use a Parentkind model, its guidance notes say any variation needs to be agreed with the Charity Commission and affects fast-track registration. In Scotland, OSCR's guidance on making changes says changing a charity's name or purposes needs OSCR's consent first, and other governing document changes must be notified. In Northern Ireland, check with CCNI.
A practical sequence for a change:
- The committee agrees what needs to change and why, and records it.
- Draft the exact new wording.
- Check whether the change needs the regulator's consent.
- Give members the notice your current constitution requires.
- Vote at a quorate meeting, usually the AGM or a special general meeting.
- Minute the decision, update the signed copy and tell the regulator where required.
Constitution review checklist
- Find the current signed constitution and confirm the adoption date.
- Check the PTA's name matches the bank account and any registration.
- Confirm whether you need to register, and with which regulator.
- Read the objects and confirm they still describe your work.
- Check the membership rules cover everyone you treat as a member.
- Confirm officer roles, the election process and terms of office.
- Test whether the quorum is achievable at your meetings.
- Review bank signatory and payment approval rules.
- Read the amendment and dissolution clauses.
- List any proposed changes for the next AGM.
- Store the current version where the committee can find it.
Keep your rules easy to find
Share the current version with new volunteers, include it in your PTA handover checklist and refer to it when you plan the AGM.
Parents Anywhere brings a PTA website, members and volunteers, events and bookings, and payments together, so families have one current place to find your PTA. Talk to us about how it could support your committee.