Should teacher gifts be from the whole class or contributors only?

[SurreyisSunny]

I’m currently class rep for my DS’s year 1 class. Part of the rep job description (yes we really do have one) is arranging teacher gifts. This involves arranging a collection, finding out what the teachers want and buying the gifts. 40% of the total pot we have to transfer to an account for the support staff who get vouchers.

Im ok with this but for the Christmas gifts only about half the parents (so 14 plus myself) contributed but the gifts came from the whole class. I even arranged a personalised card with all their names on.

For end of year collection I’d prefer to just sign the card and have the gift from those who contributed. I’m concious that some have less money but only I see how much is contributed (for context at Christmas most gave £10-20). Also some may prefer to give their own gifts. We do have 2 TA parents who work at the school in the class.

Am I ok to just gift from those who’ve contributed? Interested in what others do

My approach was always to put everyone on the card. Giving a gift is supposed to be a nice thing. The end result is the teacher getting a gift from everyone. I'm not sure it would improve her gift experience to have little Johnny left off the card because his mum didn't contribute.

This is nuts. Is this a state school? When you say ‘job description’ has this ‘job’ been given by the school? As in they are mandating gifts!? If so I’d be contacting the governors about how completely inappropriate this is.

In answer to your question yes I think only those who contribute should be given credit.

All the kids should be included in the card.

Everyone should be able to sign the card.

I organise group gifts for colleagues sometimes and always make sure that people know they should sign the card regardless of whether or not they contributed towards the cost of a present.

Just because someone can't afford to pay for presents doesn't mean they should be excluded from sending thanks or well-wishes.

I don't even pay attention to which individuals have transferred money - I ask them to reference the bank transfer with the name of the recipient and use that to tally up the total - names of people who have "paid" don't come into it.

The problem is it's 2 things conflated.

If it were just a card then put everyone's names on it. If it were just a collection put just the contributors on, as others will likely be doing their own thing - or of course choosing not to - and in either case they don't need to be included in this.

At our school it was only ever the contributors, but it wasn't a class card as such, just a card signed jointly by the people who chose to club together. They were never attempting to represent the whole class. Your role is arguably a bit different.

I’ve organised similar and around half contribute so I write just their names on the card. If only a couple didn’t I would sign it from the class. We don’t have a fixed amount and people give between £5 (for 3 staff members) and £30 - so people can contribute a small amount and that’s totally fine.

Personally I would do away with the faff of whole class presents and the pressure it will
put some under to give. As a TA the whole idea sits badly with me.

But if you do want to keep doing it then you can’t leave any children out because their parents couldn’t or wouldn’t take part

Just names of contributors if more than a few people don't contribute.
If I like a teacher, we do our own thing, if I don't particularly, then I chuck in a donation. I wouldn't expect to be on a card if I didn't contribute.

One year, some of the parents set up a Whatsapp group to try to get a teacher sacked - none of their names went on the card when the time came.

We just put contributors on as some people did their own thing.

Why does the teacher need to know who did or didn't contribute? They'll thank everybody, and everybody will know if that actually applies to them or not. If it ends up being less than half that contribute then I'd make that separate to a card from everybody maybe, but if 2 or 3 don't I wouldn't single out those kids.

As a teacher.... I hate the thought that parents feel obliged to contribute to a collection. I don't want or need gifts for doing my job.

Take the time to the email the head and tell them what a great job I do. That is hugely appreciated.

I'd just put everyone on there. So awkward otherwise. It's meant to be a nice expression of thanks, not a tip, isn't it.

Errrrr yuck. I hate everything about this 😂🤮

If you must do a whole class gift (which is by the way wholly unnecessary), then yes you write that it’s from the whole class.

I really don’t think the teacher will be paying attention to your good list and naughty list. Honestly get over yourself.

Whole class. It's pretty spiteful to leave out children because their parents can't or won't pay.

In my DS 14 years at school I never contributed or gave a present to a teacher. Isn't it time this type of thing was knocked on the head?

I don't even put individual names on. Just "love from [animal] class".

I count up the amount donated, I don't check the names of who sent me money when it arrives in my account. I just can't be arsed. Why would you bother making an already thankless task more complicated than it needs to be?

This is 100% an ego thing for the class reps and certain parents and everyone else feels they have to participate. I’m thankful my DD is at secondary school so I don’t have to participate. I remember the Reception year teacher getting tea for two at the Ritz. My sister who is a reception teacher might get a box of maltesers.

We had a similar system, op. The aim was to avoid gifts getting competitive- there had been a few years with some parents giving completely inappropriate things (iPads, £500 cash 😭) so the school requested that any gifts should be via collection of a small amount such as a tenner. Completely voluntary.

I always just wrote “from class 2J” or whatever. No need to get specific.

Who gave the job description? If it’s the school that’s icky!!!!!!! I say this as both the parent that used to organise class gifts IF parents wanted to contribute no expectation and a school staff member (although I did stop organising class gifts when I started working at the school). We split the class stuff evenly against the class tas and teacher. On the other side as school admin now i feel embarrassed but so very grateful when parents drop me a card or a box of chocs etc at year end. Shows they appreciate me but but nothing is EVER expected.

we used to sign the card from the kids that contributed.

As a TA, I would much prefer a group present to be signed "from Acorn class" for example. Some of our pupils come from families who are struggling financially or have other, bigger things on their minds which means they can't take part in a collection and I would hate for them to be highlighted as not having contributed.

I genuinely don't expect presents btw and anything over the top expensive makes me feel slightly uncomfortable, knowing the number of low income families in my class. I am grateful for anything received, especially cards made / written in by the children 🙂. However, a present/ card which is clearly a group effort but signed only from some of the children/ parents would take some of the shine off the nice feeling of being thanked for my efforts for the reasons above, and thinking of some families being left out of 'the group' when I know they are struggling.

At ours it’s just from the contributors. Never known it be any different. Think it’s a bit off to expect other parents to fund your teacher gift. What if everyone did that? But we are in a pretty affluent area where the vast majority of people can easily afford to put in £10. Also, to add it’s absolutely fine to choose not to take part. Not everyone contributes and some give nothing which is not an issue at all.

I think contributors only. At the start of the year give a heads up about eoy gift. Surely anyone can save 1 pound a month to it

Who cares that much?

I've been the organiser and I've been just a contributer. As the organiser I just sign it "from X class". As a contributer I have no idea whether someone has written DC's name individually and included everyone, or just those who did contribute or done the same as me. I couldn't care less if people are included who didn't give money.

We do a standard request if anyone wants to be included in the teachers gift message. A few reminders are sent and there’s a deadline. It is not a surprise that it happens.

What a silly argument. If your work colleagues did a collection and only a handful contributed and it was presented from everyone then would you still say you don’t care? I’m pretty sure you would have a lot to complain about