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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think £100 voucher class Xmas gift to teacher too much?

123 replies

curiouscat · 07/12/2011 18:35

Every year we parents contribute £30 to a kitty from which the class reps organise teacher's end of term presents, maternity cards, etc. This year's class Christmas present to the teachers (3 of them for the year) is a £100 voucher each (=£300 from the kitty).

Surely this is too much? Isn't £50 plenty? It's not like it's the end of the year or anything? And aren't teachers just doing their job? And wouldn't we do better giving eg £150 to charity by halving the teacher gift?

OP posts:
reup · 07/12/2011 18:56

There are class reps in all the state schools I know. They are usually the PTA committee members for the class.

mumofthreekids · 07/12/2011 18:57

Agree with hocuspontas, 100 quid is only 3.33 per child (assuming a class of 30) which seems reasonable to me. Why are there 3 teachers though? Surely not all full time if the other 2 are TAs?

Dustinthewind · 07/12/2011 18:57

That's way too much, what about the parents who can't afford to contribute anything, or those that think it's outrageous as an idea?
I hope it is all completely voluntary, with no pressure or nagging if someone simply says no, but I'd be embarrassed by half that amount as a present.
Chocolates are nice, as are tree ornaments. That way I remember children over the years too.

valiumredhead · 07/12/2011 18:58

I have given £20 Boots vouchers to teachers in the past if they have been really nice to ds done a good job.

We have class reps - not private.

Dustinthewind · 07/12/2011 18:58

Oh, we've got class reps and are a state school. They help induct new parents and are the people to ask questions of and who will be a friendly face to newbies.

SoupDragon · 07/12/2011 18:58

We are asked to make a contribution. I put in what I would have spent on crappy little gifts which probably works out at £10 for teacher plus numerous TAs

SaraBellumHertz · 07/12/2011 19:00

We are contributing to a group present for DD1's teacher £10 each;

No such arrangement for DS1's teacher so she will probably get chocolates from half the kids in her class.

I know which teacher I'd prefer to be Grin

valiumredhead · 07/12/2011 19:02

I just put in what I can afford these days the days of Boots vouchers are long gone

HexagonalQueenOfTheSummer · 07/12/2011 19:04

£30 per year??? No way would I pay that

mummytime · 07/12/2011 19:04

In my DCs school this sounds fine. 30 kids in a class, parents contribute 5-10 pounds each, that equals about 150 to 300 pounds, about 100 for class teacher's present, 30 to 50 for TA, maybe some for a second TA and some flowers. It is a state school with Class reps btw. (its much better than 30 candles.)

noblegiraffe · 07/12/2011 19:04

Oh gosh no, it's normally more like £200 isn't it? Especially in secondary. Especially for important teachers like maths.

Dustinthewind · 07/12/2011 19:09

Here you are NG< have your missing decimal point.

.

£2.00

Smile
Whateveryousaymustberight · 07/12/2011 19:10

Oh, Noble! You are hilarious. And a maths teacher to boot, non?

2BoysTooLoud · 07/12/2011 19:10

Bloody hell. Nought from me but xmas cards for teacher and Tas from ds [6]. Writing them was like he was doing it in his own blood...
I'll smile and say 'Happy Christmas' on last day of term and hope not held against me or ds!!
£30 per parent- wow!!

SauvignonBlanche · 07/12/2011 19:12

I stand corrected.
Can't say if YABU without more information.

echt · 07/12/2011 19:16

I'm a bit Shock about this. A present, if any should come from the individual. The idea that there should be a collection like this, just for doing the job is amazing. What if the parent or child doesn't like the teacher?

I am a teacher, I do get thank-you gifts, but they're always from the student or individual parent.

Also, I think such an amount of money might have to be declared for tax purposes.

blueemerald · 07/12/2011 19:17

Well 30*30 (average class) is 900 so it would seem reasonable to spend a third now and a third at the end of the year? (Keeping a third in case of maternity leave gifts?) If you think it's too much (a reasonable opinion) you should request the kitty contribution is lowered.

flyingspaghettimonster · 07/12/2011 19:19

They did that in my kids preschool drove me insane. We had to contribute $20 each at Christmas per teacher and again at end of year, had to take part in hosting a teacher appreciation day brunch and look after our own fecking kids while the teachers got that day off... crazy. They would usually get a $200 voucher to the mall, one year the got a rocking chair that some 'super mom' decided all the kids would hand print and name, one year a diamond necklace each! Then they said they preferred vouchers... the final year the kids were there I just did our own gifts and got so many dirty looks for not contributing anymore. Other parents would contribute AND provide a huge bouquet so their little PFB would be able to toddle up in a party dress and hand it to her like she was the freaking queen mother or something... other parents gave $100 restaurant vouchers by themselves... I guess a lot of the other parents were well off, but it really grated on my nerves...

PosiesOfPoinsettia · 07/12/2011 19:21

In our school people donate what they like, it usually gets to £150 for each. We're generous parentsSmile.

yellowraincoat · 07/12/2011 19:22

Wow. Unbelievable. I mean, sure it's nice for the teacher, but I would be so embarrassed to be given a big voucher like that. I mean, it's not from the pupils, is it? It's from the parents.

Just seems like another monetary pressure at Christmas which many do not need.

But then, if you're happy to give £30 then I'm not sure why you're surprised it's going to the teacher.

noblegiraffe · 07/12/2011 19:23

I might be a maths teacher. And I might be a little Xmas Envy at my primary school counterparts. I never get anything and would be delighted with a card.

Although I think I would feel a bit uncomfortable at receiving a really expensive gift, especially in the current economic climate.

slavetofilofax · 07/12/2011 19:25

£30 a year sounds like a lot, but I'd probably spend that over the year anyway.

TA's deserve just as much, if not more than the teacher. They have just as much input to your children, spend the same amount of time with them if not more, and they get paid less for it. They don't have to do the extra paperwork in their non working hours that the teachers have to do, but presumably paperwork is not the reason people like to give their children's teachers presents anyway.

picnicbasketcase · 07/12/2011 19:25

Sod any of that. Teachers get a thank you card and a box of chocs at the end of the summer term, possibly a card at Christmas if I'm organised enough. The alpha mums could go and whistle up a flagpole if they asked me to contribute £30.

LoopyLoopsWoopDeWoops · 07/12/2011 19:26

Hmm, secondary and presents are few and far between here too.

When exactly did all this start, and when will it end? Ridiculous.

unfitmother · 07/12/2011 19:35

Absolutely ridiculous if a state school.
"Class rep" WTF?? Some people really need to get a life!