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Original poster

What do teachers actually like to receive??

85 replies

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 09/07/2025 11:19

like many, I get my children’s teacher and TA a small gift at the end of the school year.

every year I struggle to know what to get - I want to gift something that they would actually get use out of, not waste my money and provide inconvenient clutter for them.

both teachers are male.

is alcohol appropriate?!

if any teachers on here could give some input I’d really appreciate it.

OP posts:
FlowerPower2525 · 09/07/2025 20:22

Edible. I go for cupcakes or chocolates as if they get too much I'm sure they can share with family

pastapestoparmesan · 09/07/2025 20:23

In order of preference:
a genuine written thank you from a child
a genuine written thank you from a parent/carer
nothing
a voucher for a coffee shop or John Lewis
high end chocolates
high end shower gel

LocalHobo · 09/07/2025 20:23

Garden centre or coffee shop voucher always seem well received.
However, my DS told me his guitar teacher, still a student at Royal College of Music, was obsessed with squirrels and, aged 7, insisted I had to buy him a squirrel nut cracker we saw in Debenhams.
13 years later, DS bumps into his guitar teacher and his (now) wife at a pub in the local area. His wife says "Oh, you are the one who bought the nutcracker!" Goes to show, some presents hit the spot.

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Corrrrrblimey · 09/07/2025 20:25

I like a nice card and a bottle of Prosecco is always appreciated. But a nice card is plenty.

hellokellie · 09/07/2025 20:26

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 09/07/2025 11:19

like many, I get my children’s teacher and TA a small gift at the end of the school year.

every year I struggle to know what to get - I want to gift something that they would actually get use out of, not waste my money and provide inconvenient clutter for them.

both teachers are male.

is alcohol appropriate?!

if any teachers on here could give some input I’d really appreciate it.

I work in nurseries and I can't eat chocolate and I don't drink. I never expect presents of course, but when we do get them, it is always alcohol and chocolate which I usually pass on to my mum or save the alcohol to donate to the charity day we do at work each year.

My favourite present that I've ever received was a bag of popcorn and a £10 odeon gift card with a note saying something along the lines of "because you deserve to enjoy your free time". Something a bit different and one of the first things I've ever gotten that I could use so I was made up!

Missj25 · 09/07/2025 20:28

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 09/07/2025 11:19

like many, I get my children’s teacher and TA a small gift at the end of the school year.

every year I struggle to know what to get - I want to gift something that they would actually get use out of, not waste my money and provide inconvenient clutter for them.

both teachers are male.

is alcohol appropriate?!

if any teachers on here could give some input I’d really appreciate it.

My friend is married to a teacher , & his favourite present always was nice candles , cause my friend adores candles , & so when he came home with them for her , he said it was like coming picking her up for a date night when they first met 😂 😂

NoviceScoutMum · 09/07/2025 20:29

We do a costa or Starbucks gift card. Eliminates all the problems with potentially being vegetarian/vegan/dairy free/alcohol free/whatever, there's something for everyone, most will be likely travelling at some point in the summer and can be used in a motorway services/airport. An amount enough for a drink and a sandwich or cake. Always gone down well with a child-made card.

Cannotbelievepeoplecanbesojudgemental · 09/07/2025 20:30

Obviously I never expect a gift but if you definitely want to buy something I would go with either a coffee shop/ book voucher or Pens & stationery - always needed.
Please don't feel that you have to get anything.
Saying that, it is nice to get a thank you at the end of the year - verbal or written. It's an emotional time for staff too, saying goodbye to 30 children that they have spent so much time with.

TheGriffle · 09/07/2025 20:36

At the end of year 6 I got DD’s teachers a Costa gift card each (job sharers) they both sought me out individually when picking up my younger dd in the new school year to say thank you and how appreciative they were of it. One said she left her kids with her husband took her book and sat for an hour with a coffee and it was a real treat in the holidays.

TheGriffle · 09/07/2025 20:38

This year I’ve got DD’s teacher a lovely set of pens and a book mark that match and dd is writing her a card to go with it.

Previous gifts have also included personalised ruler and pens and flowers. I tend to go consumable or can be used (like the pens).

rosegoldwatcher · 09/07/2025 20:40

I was an SEN teacher in a secondary school, so gifts were not plentiful. But one year, on my birthday, one of my lovely pupils gave me a box of Maltesers and a card. On the card her mum had written a thank you for making a difference to her daughter's literacy and happiness at school.
THAT appreciation would surpass any amount of wine, chocs, flowers, gift cards...

BillyWilliamTheThird · 09/07/2025 20:48

Another strong vote for a card made by the child. I have a folder with nearly two decades worth of them which I sift through when I need a reminder of why I’m still in the job!

Failing that, gin.

Istilldontlikeolives · 09/07/2025 20:52

Definitely a voucher. £5 from the likes of costa would be absolutely fine.

Sunshineclouds11 · 09/07/2025 20:54

We pool together and get a gift card alongside a plant or similar.

I do like to write a nice card for them.

this year my DC teacher has been nothing short of amazing so I've bought her something from him

mumisfull · 09/07/2025 20:55

A card is wonderful and if you must give a present, let your child choose it. Maybe give them a coin and head to the pound shop.

Whole class collections are very kind but I always feel uncomfortable about it, especially if families aren’t affluent.

Oh and please, whatever you do for the teacher please do for the TAs too. And know we’re grateful to be thought of

Arethereanyusernamesfree · 09/07/2025 21:00

I echo what others say about perishables / vouchers / nice card.

As an anecdote, a favourite present of mine was a juicy red strawberry. A little 5 year old boy came one day with a juicy red strawberry nicely washed and in a sandwich bag. He was proud as punch. I made a huge fuss and thanked him, even thought slightly puzzled. A little later I picked up a message from his Nan who he lived with, to say that his strawberry plant had produced its first strawberry and that all he wanted to do was bring it to school for me as a present. It was one of my favourite moments in a long teaching career.

MyCalmRoseHelper · 09/07/2025 21:03

Like many others, say a card and a thank you is more than enough but if you are going to buy something a coffee shop voucher always goes down well.

FightTheAlchemy · 09/07/2025 21:05

Second Head of Maths here (and from a family of primary school teachers!).
My absolute favourite things are cards from the students - these are what I keep forever.
An email to the head is also incredibly appreciated.

SortingLaundry · 09/07/2025 21:11

My older sister is a teacher.

She really appreciates the hand written/hand drawn cards & has kept every single one (there’s a lot - she’s been a teacher for 25 years!)

She also said gift vouchers are always well received & much appreciated. She’s had ones for Costa, M&S, Boots, Spa treatments etc)

Teenybub · 09/07/2025 21:11

Chocolate or a really nice pen! Not a cup, if you saw the staff room cupboards you would see why… they are the place worlds best teacher cups go to die!

Reallyneedsaholiday · 09/07/2025 21:18

I’ve rarely bought a teacher a gift … a card, absolutely. The on,y exceptions have been when my child has asked me specifically if they can buy something specific for a particular teacher. I remember many years ago, my son asking if he could buy a teddy that he’d seen for his teacher because she was the best teacher ever, and years later we bumped into her and she told us that that teddy was still in pride of place on her bed. But for the most part, I’d stick with a card, or some mid term biscuits for the staff room.

Teanandtoast · 09/07/2025 21:22

Handwritten card with a memory or time they've looked after or given out of their way for your child, always! Failing that, snacks for staff room, tea, coffee, choc bars, pot noodles etc or we club together and buy a voucher they can spend xx

Coffeeismyfriend1 · 09/07/2025 21:28

Alcohol is definitely appreciated 😆

summertimeinLondon · 09/07/2025 21:28

DD had now moved on to secondary school where - thank the Lord - teacher presents are not the thing. But in primary I usually did a card and either Prosecco or a small box of good quality chocolates for teacher and TA. Obviously if I happened to know they didn’t drink I didn’t give them prosecco; but otherwise I tended to think that they could always regift it, especially at Christmas!

They always seemed pretty pleased with a bottle of fizz or wine (and sometimes it was a mini bottle, eg the year when DD had 2 jobs hare teachers plus 2 jobshare TAs and I couldn’t afford a whole bottle of fizz each, I got them each a mini bottle of Prosecco and some chocolate and they seemed to enjoy that!) At Christmas I found a handmade tree decoration and card from DD always went down well.

OneAquaGoose · 09/07/2025 21:31

It was the norm in my school for parents to club together and get a voucher for somewhere like John Lewis. I always bought something that would then remind me of that class.