End of term gifts for teaching staff

[Rosyred82]

How much do you spend on gifts for teachers and TAs at the end of the summer term? My son's class has two teachers who job share and two TAs! Also, if you're not contributing towards a collection, what sort of things do you buy?

Nothing! I’m sure there must be a food bank you can donate to or something worthy that benefits local people?

Zero. You must know from the endless threads on here that gifts for teachers and TAs are not wanted or expected. A card is enough.

Obviously not or I wouldn't have asked the question.

my child’s year group has raised roughly 250 for teacher and TA. Personally this amount is absolutely bonkers. I didn’t contribute. I can’t think of many other jobs where this would happen.

Nothing. They are paid members of staff, not volunteers.

We used to make something like fudge or peppermint creams with chocolate on top. Got little plastic bags off Amazon and tied with simple ribbon. When I moved to a house with an apple tree we made apply jelly and chutney. Teachers loved it!

I did think about doing a but of baking. I once made flapjack for all the teaching staff to share at break. Love your ideas. Thank you

But often teachers say that they just throw home-made baked goods away, there’s no way they’d eat them. Of course they are going to thank you for them.

Any homemade food you’ve ever made for your child’s teacher has 100% gone straight into their bin - sorry! 🫣

A bottle of wine or tin of biscuits. I bet if they don't like what they get they can swap it with another teacher. I stick to about £5 -£7 per teacher/ classroom assistant. I personally prefer to do that than give to the class donations.

My favourite gifts are house plants - I love a house plant!

Last year, I received a personalised notebook based on a film I love, other stationery based upon said film, lots of my favourite soft drinks etc.

I've previously been given things based on conversations I've had with parents. I complimented one mum on her lipstick and she bought me one, I've had sourdough starters, bottles of my favourite beer (I've occasionally bumped into parents at the pub!). Things related to hobbies I do. A smal framed sketch by a dad who worked as an artist of character I mentioned I liked once.

I've eaten homemade goods when I've known that mum has a side business of baked goods.

However, I dont expect gifts and I wouldn't think anything negative about someone who didn't give one. Any gifts are appreciated but these are ones that have stuck in my mind over the years.

I work with kids and none of us would touch home made food, especially if children have been near it. Of course we pretend to be delighted.

I got vouchers for Costa, Greggs etc.

I used to do this, then when I joined MN posters were falling over themselves to tell me that no teacher would ever eat home made food....like they are here. I did it because baking was more affordable than the suggested donation for the class collection and I was embarrassed if I put less in that other people.
Hopefully some of them enjoyed them 🤷‍♀️

We got little gifts for primary age child leaving school to give to teachers and lunchtime staff. She’s bought teacher and head of key stage a plant. And some chocolates for other key people. She has SEN and is in mainstream school and they’ve all been so supportive of her. I see it as having been really beneficial to her to get involved in choosing presents, showing her (and my) appreciation and feeling thankful, and marking the end of a chapter in her life by giving gifts to key people. We haven’t spent much and it isn’t about that. Making something sounds like a lovely idea.

Not wine. I lost count of the bottles of wine I had to register or donate to raffles.
Don't assume all homebakes will go in the bin - they didn't.
No "Best teacher" stuff either.

I have kept all the cards I got from pupils and look at them from time to time remembering them and wondering what they're doing now.

I’m also in the ‘nothing’ camp! It’s their job and they’re supposed to be good at it!

fizbosshoes

Basically, if you are clean, your child is clean, their uniform is clean, their lunch box is clean, you child isn't constantly off with stomach upsets (you get the idea) I would eat it!

I'm still here to tell the tale.

My daughter does well out of Costa vouchers. I don't use them but she takes a fair few back to university with her!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg8x4vk04vo

That's not true. Where I work we'd be delighted with something homemade

I get my DD to make and write thank you cards, because this is what my teacher mum always liked. She kept them all. She did not want any more chocolate, or another “best teacher” mug. Obviously she was always very gracious in her acceptance of them. But she felt they were unnecessary, and generally unwanted by her.

Nope. We had a batch of home-baked scones delivered last week, and we fell upon them like hyenas.

OP, a lovely card is always gratefully received, and most teachers I know love stationery, so a pack of nice pens would be a winner. With 2 teachers and 2 TAs, maybe give a gift for the classroom for next year. A box of glue sticks would make you very popular.

One of the policies on my DC’s primary school website says that the teachers aren’t allowed to accept gifts worth over £20, so I make sure to keep below that.

I’m sending DC in with Starbucks or Costa vouchers this year. Plus a thank you card.

Our school (private primary) does collections. I don't think any parents decline to take part, but I see some bringing in their own gifts on top (pricey bought gifts not handmade) which seems like overkill. We pay £25 contribution per child for the class collection. About 14 dc in the class so £350 total, split between teacher, TA, and a small card and gift for subject teachers. I prefer leaving the class rep to organise it, I never know what to buy and get stressed out at even hand writing a card message. They usually buy a pricey card, gift card for somewhere fancier than I'd use, and flowers. I suppose the subject teachers (music, PE, French) must get multiple bunches of flowers for each year group they teach, which is probably just a hassle to transport home and look after. Maybe some classes just give vouchers, I don't know, the class rep makes the decision for my dd's year groups.

I'm not a teacher but I know I'd never eat homemade gifts.

I never have really. Sometimes a bottle of wine or a shared tub of chocolates.

Likewise!