Do staff in your primary school give the children gifts?

[SadOtter]

Conversation with a friend, I'm wrapping little end of year gifts for the children I work with because I thought it was a nice idea, most staff at my school do it. (nothing big, teachers tend to give them a notebook or some stationery or something like that, TAs tends to give out sweets or party bag type gifts) Friend who works in a different school was really surprised because she's never done it and nor do her colleagues. My school we also do Christmas and Easter gifts, hers they do Christmas cards but that's it.

So now we are both wondering if it's a common thing or not?

I do Christmas, Easter and end-of-year gifts. I try to avoid chocolate/sweets, although at Easter I usually make little cupcakes (gluten- and dairy-free) with a little chick on top. Christmas and end-of-year I usually go to Poundland as I don't mind spending £30. Usually I'll get some kind of sport equipment for the end-of-year presents, even just a football each, as I like the idea of the kids getting out and having fun over the holidays.

My dc went (between them) to 3 different Primary schools, and i've taught in 3 different Primary schools.
It hasn't been a 'thing' in any of those 6 schools.

@avocadoincident I love that idea.

DS' teacher gave each child a bookmark with an adjective attached to each letter of their name
e.g. S - super, A- articulate M- marvellous
The words for DS matched his personality perfectly and it was clear some thought had gone into it.
I thought it was a lovely gift.

The acorn /oak tree idea is lovely too.

Wow some of you teachers are lovely! So thoughtful, I hope when my baby goes to school he is taught by such nice people.

I remember getting a 10p mix up at the end of summer term from a teacher when I was in first school, it must be one of my first memories but I remember how pleased I was as my mum didn't have much so we didn't often get sweets.

No I don't. I spend about £15 a week on average through the year on classroom resources

I''m assuming I'm not lovely as I don't give gifts

@LakeFlyPie do you live in Cambridge? :-)

I'm in Manchester, do you do the bookmarks in Cambridge?

My DD's teachers do give out small, useful gifts like that. It's really sweet of them, but we don't expect it. Teachers already get a crappy salary and 30 gifts, however small, are not going to be cheap.

I spend a lot all year on baking stuff, nice crafty bits at Christmas and Easter, books and games- I have spent as much as £400 a year on making my classroom run the way I feel it should. So come end of year it’s just a wee token gift like a pencil and notepad .

I used to do reading support before I started working after DC were in school. I used to buy medical tongue depressors (cheap) from eBay, decorate them with stickers and the childrens names and give them as bookmarks at Christmas...

My youngest got a little beaded keyring with his name on it from his teacher - he was chuffed to bits with it. I suspect the teacher had made them herself or roped in her teenage kids to help.

@LakeFlyPie
last year I did a picture related to our class name with
"Majestic
Enchanting
Gracious
Appreciative
Natural"
on the opposite side laminated with a little ribbon to make a book mark :-)

I'm an ex primary school teacher and every Christmas and end of school year I would get each child a book. As a school we wanted to encourage reading and a joy of books so most teachers would do the same

I’m a TA and we’re doing bubble tubes - you’ve blown us away this year.

Last year we did a pot of playdoh each.

There are some really lovely ideas on this thread, I have noted them down for future years!

I work as support staff in a school but am split evenly among 3 classes in one yeargroup along with another lady. We have agreed that we will do a class and a half each and just say everything is from both of us. At Christmas we both bought treats for 90 children. Because we really enjoy the kids - they’re great company, have good senses of humour and are the best part of the job. But seriously, 90 to buy for was expensive so we are halving it this year.
Any ideas that don’t involve food (too many allergies and plastic waste from sweets etc)?!

We also bought them Easter eggs at Christmas, not as bad because they were doing kinnertons (nut free) eggs in the supermarkets for £1!

I usually give things like bubbles, sweets and bouncy balls in summer and a notebook, candy cane and a bauble with their name on in gold sharpie for Christmas. The Baker Ross sale items can be good value but it does add up.

Most teachers at my children's school give a little something. A book, pencil or some chocolate. The kids LOVE it.

We give loads to end of term collection though.....

@CakeNinja I have gone with keyrings and have adapted the bags of happiness I keep seeing on pinterest to fit KS1, Easter I did hatching eggs, Christmas I did activity books and crayons. I have 3 classes plus a Rainbow unit, so nearly 100 kids. I plan massively in advance and order a lot on amazon, it usually works out about £20 - £30.

I quite like the bauble idea someone mentioned for next Christmas and I've seen little bouncy eggs I thought might be fun next Easter.