To feel sorry for all the teachers who are about to be inundated with shite gifts

To be honest as an ex teacher I loved the mugs😂never had to buy any! But the zillion bunches of carnations and milk tray chocolates were a bit samey🤣🙏

No one is going to declare their £10 Costa voucher. FFS

@pleasehelpwi3

I understand and believe me I can't really afford it!

I think you're right. Next year I will make a conscious decision not to spend my own money. It's just so hard to see the children missing out.

I volunteer in a charity shop & we get inundated with 'best teacher gifts' ...they never, ever sell so end up in landfill.

@oakleaffy White boards with the wipe clean pens are probably far more expensive, and if the wrong pens are used, the white board is marked permanently.

If you do this (and I have) just write over it with a non-permanent market and all the writing comes off. I’ve done this in a theatre dressing room where the writing was several years old, although it did take some time and patience.

I agree that a nice message in a home-made or shop-bought card is all that’s needed, but I work in a well-resourced independent school where I don’t have to buy glue sticks.

It’s really wasteful and the teachers I know would much prefer just a card or a picture or something.

YABU. I love all the gifts I get from pupils and their families, even if some people would consider them sentimental tat.

I work in a preschool, mostly we get some lovely cards and chocs, wine, etc. One year I got a little plant that is still growing happily on my kitchen windowsill and I have some cute ornaments and a home made poem still on my fridge. I don't think I have been given anything I wasn't grateful to receive.

So what’s the tax implications of receiving a gift? I’m not an accountant but I’m intrigued.

Not every teacher appreciates the hand made (by the child), heartfelt card. When ds1 was in year 1, one of his friends made a lovely card for the teacher. His mum had to nip back into the classroom for something he’d forgotten, and the card was already in the bin.

I both admire your post, and find it incredibly frustrating.
You are a good person for buying things out of your own money.
But you shouldn't be doing this. As a primary teacher, I absolutely draw the line at this. Of course if my own child has grown out of a book, I would bring it in to my classroom. But the Tories made a conscious choice- austerity- not to fund schools property; and not to pay teachers properly either.
By buying things form your own salary, you are enabling in a very small way the lack of funding. You should not be doing this- do not be a martyr! A waiter wouldn't buy plates for a restaurant, a bus driver wouldn't buy a spare wheel for the bus, a police officer wouldn't buy replacement handcuffs etc. Please don't- it also makes it harder for other teachers who really can't afford to do this but unlike me, can't quite manage 'No' to their head. (And tbf, my head would NEVER expect us to do this).

Well this year I’m joining the shite gift club. Because last year we “all” clubbed in. Suggested donation was £10 and I thought I’d send £20 because it’s not breaking the bank. 3 parents had already done something else and a couple of others didn’t reply so ended up with 11 parents clubbing together. Grand total was a £20 voucher for a local farm shop type place and a box of chocolates plus card. Felt a lot like I might as well have bought the voucher myself and avoided other people gaining credit for my cash. So this year I won’t be clubbing in with anyone just so they can pretend they’ve donated but use my cash to do so instead. Sorry if it’s shite

Must be a posh school 😂

@oakleaffy

It's heartbreaking. I've been teaching over 20 years. We're at the point that we can't afford to change displays, can't afford to make Mother's Day cards and have to consider which Art lessons we do. I remember the days when we had so much stock and could do things like clay modelling, making character spoons and a plethora of Christmas craft.

I'm a primary teacher and I will be buying vouchers for my sons class teacher and the class teaching assistant. They are both leaving to new jobs this year and he will be sad to see them go. I will also get my son to either make cards, or write messages in cards depending on what I can find at the shop. I will be getting a book voucher for the class teacher, that way he can choose either something for himself to enjoy, or something for his new role. The TA will prob get a Costa voucher. They have both made a difference this year to my sons confidence. He has suffered terrible anxiety, which they have supported him through. Yes, it's their job, but they go above and beyond.

This type of thread is really sneery and unpleasant.

Do I want or need another "best teacher" mug/glass/candle? No.
Will I add them to the collection and use them? Yes.
Am I grateful because it really is the thought that counts? Yes.

I do think the class teacher gift from parents is symptomatic of the way teachers aren’t really regarded as professionals.

Firstly, teachers don’t expect presents at all, although of course they are appreciated. But what would you get a doctor who had gone above and beyond to look after your sick child? Or a solicitor who had worked tirelessly to help you through a really complex property purchase without charging extras?

Would you bung them a tenner or try to club together with a few other sick children’s parents and send them a voucher? I doubt it. You might send a bottle of champagne with a lovely hand written card of thanks, or even just a carefully written card or e mail expressing your profuse thanks.

IMO, if you just think a teacher has done their job, don’t get them anything. If they have gone above and beyond with your child, do something personal so that they will know it has been noticed and that they are valued.

We used to put a message on the school app asking for donations to the local food bank and we all had collection boxes in our offices and classrooms. We’d post the most recent ‘wish list’ from their social media. We did this after self nominated class reps were asking parents for money at summer and Christmas which didn’t feel right to any of us. We were all mortified to be handed between £250 - £300 in various vouchers one Christmas and decided not to keep them but to use them into raffle prizes for the Spring Fayre. We let parents know how grateful we were but we couldn’t accept those vouchers, that put an end to the vouchers nonsense. So many parents couldn’t afford to put into collections and there was quite a lot of pressure put on to parents to contribute which really wasn’t nice.

I have a tree that I put up at Christmas and still have all the little handmade bits and bobs that I received from children, they still go on my special tree all these years later. As for the mugs, everyone left them in the staff room and the janitor took them to the charity shop at the start of each session, we used to leave a lot of cakes and sweets in the staffroom too at the end of summer term as well as plants. There was normally a table full of wine which was regifted as raffle prizes at fayres through the year. Any flowers I normally gifted to my MIL as we were always away the first 3 weeks of term.

Edited to add I still have every card and letters given to me.

I think the problem with class collections and a voucher is that the child is not in any way involved. The relationship is between the child and the teacher rather than the parents and the teacher.

When my son was at primary school I always thought it was important that he was involved in the process of buying a gift and writing a card - so that as well it being a thank you to the teacher, he could also learn how to show appreciation. (We usually went down the chocolate route).

I write a nice thank you card for each of my children’s teachers and give the office a big box of fancy biscuits (and GF alternative) for the staff room a week or two before the end of term. Seems to work ok, don’t think anyone needs to feel too sorry for the teachers!

😂😂😂😂

good one.

I work in financial services, where bribery and corruption legislation is relevant. How would giving a teacher a mug or a £5 gift voucher at Christmas fall into the scope of said legislation?

Also, what’s this got to do with tax?

That is tragic that schools are so under funded..I remember the delights of the stationary cupboard where pristine new exercise books lurked, and boxes of pencils and glue- Getting a new exercise book was such a delight!

Back then of course it was black boards and chalk- White boards with the wipe clean pens are probably far more expensive, and if the wrong pens are used, the white board is marked permanently.

As a teacher simply a thank
you and not getting a table pushed at me or a F off is nice :)

That should say, provided by an employer!

I am a teacher. I never get any gifts. Maybe a card. All I want is a child who turns up with a pen, does their work and is polite and kind. I'd rather a verbal thank you any day.
I wouldn't like a family to feel obliged to buy a gift through peer pressure etc. I am just doing my job.