Anyone else's school still doing presents for teachers at secondary?!

[Deeperdown]

I thought we were done with this but everyone bought for form teacher at Christmas! Dds form teacher is great but she has them 15 minutes a day and there are staff in school senco/Ta etc who have done so much more for dd and I can't afford to buy for everyone!

[Leeds2]

My DD is in Lower Sixth, and we/she have never bought for any of her secondary school teachers. Apart from one year when she drew her form tutor in the Secret Santa!

[noblegiraffe]

I'm a secondary teacher. Parents do not buy presents for secondary teachers. They may get presents at the end of Y11 or 13 but the students organise it.

If a parent is particularly grateful for a teacher who has gone above and beyond, an email of thanks is ideal.

[Deeperdown]

Thanks noble. I've already emailed staff member who has been amazing this year thanking her and praised her to year head.

[insanityscatching]

Dd bought the odd gift for her teachers in y11 and 12. A Christmas tie for her Art teacher who came in various ones in the build up to Christmas. A notebook for her History teacher who had commented on how much she liked one of dd's and nice chocolate for her Maths teacher. She bought them herself because she appreciated their efforts and enjoyed their lessons.
I emailed my other dd's Food tech teacher to tell her I appreciated the extra efforts she had made to fully include dd in all aspects of her lessons. I copied it to HT,the teacher emailed and said I'd made her day. Dd2 won't be buying anything this year I don't think although I intend to email her English and French teachers who have been particularly supportive.

[Iwantacampervan]

Not in either of the schools that my daughters attend. I wrote a thank you card to my eldest's Year 7 English teacher as she was leaving and had bee very good.

[tippytappywriter]

If they have gone above and beyond then yes and an email to their subject leader/head.

[clary]

DS1 and I bought a gift for his catering teacher (he has just finished yr 11) as she really went out of her way to help him in her subject and others too and I am certain he was a right pain! She stayed late with him after school, called me to chase up his coursework, gave him extra help to study for the exam etc. She was fab.

Otherwise no, no need to buy for secondary at all. an email of thanks and copy the head /HoD is much appreciated :)

[ItMustBeBunnies]

I'm a secondary school teacher.

I received a handful of little gifts at Christmas and end of term when I had a y7 form.

Apart from that, I get some lovely cards from y11 students (and/or their parents) with the occasional present. Students in y12 & y13 will often make cakes for the class at Christmas or last lesson of the year.

[ValancyJane]

I'm a secondary school teacher and it's not common; generally I only got odd pressies from my Year 7 form, leaving Year 11's and Year 13's, and from some students when I left their school.

Agree that a nice email would make my day - or a comment from the student themselves. The only thing I had from any Year 11 leavers this year was one of the girls coming to see me after her last exam, to say goodbye and thank me for never giving up on her when she was (in her words) horrible in Year 10. It still makes me tear up, would take that over a box of chocs any day!

[Happy36]

I am a secondary teacher and am very lucky to receive many gifts, but it is certainly not expected. The gifts are on the whole from my tutor group or older students who I've worked with a lot (e.g. A Level, or writing UCAS reference, helping with university applications, etc.) However, I have received the odd one from other students too.

Gifts range from small box of chocs or bottle of wine to things like perfume, a Ted Baker handbag, necklace (yes, it's a private school.)

Agree with ValancyJane that a verbal, written or e-mailed thank you means the most, from the student, or student and parent.

Also, if you really rate a secondary teacher and think they have genuinely and significantly helped your child in any way, consider sending an e-mail to their boss (e.g. headteacher or head of department).

[MyballsareSandy]

My DD and her friends (year 9) have bought a couple of teachers presents, but organised and paid for by them, nothing to do with the parents.