Our school has a 'friendship list' so we get the email addresses of parents in the class. A fair few people sent out emails to parents about invites to parties, but it doesn't stop kids talking about which parties they've been invited to. I can understand why it's done, but you're not always friends with everyone in a class, or want to invite a whole class of kids to stop feelings getting hurt. I guess you could try to be discreet or maybe ask the teacher to help too? Our kids get a little pouch home with their reader and other things, maybe teacher could put them in there without kids knowing about it?

The other, I'd just wait till the final list comes. Our school wanted certain things, certain amounts so it was just easier to do it all online in one go.