To think this request from the school is BIZARRE?

[GammonAndEgg]

Sent home today with my Year 6 DS:

Traditionally at the end of each academic year the children in year six have a collection to buy the school a gift. Each child can bring in money which is combined as a year group to buy a gift to present to the school at the leavers' assembly as a lasting memory of their time here. In the past children have bought trees, a bench and ornamental features. Donations to the class teachers by Monday.

What a nice idea! Never heard of it before, but much nicer than inundating the teacher with dodgy mugs and limp flowers

I've never come across anything like it and this is my youngest DC!

Cheeky bastards!

It's a large state school. Not affluent.
It's come directly from the school (letter from the Y6 teachers) and not a PTA.

I've been surrounded by Y6 parents grumbling about various things for the last few weeks, I can only imagine what they would say about this! I think it's a lovely idea and I'm you only give if you want to - what's the big deal?????? Can't see why it is rude, grabby, cheeky, direct etc

What's odd about it is the money is due in on Monday and the Y6s leave on Wednesday! Not a lot of time for shopping.

Never heard of this before! Sounds a little cheeky for my tastes.
Fwiw, Aldi were selling apple trees for £5 about this time last year, Suttons and Marshalls sell them for £20ish
(Got one from Aldi, one from Marshalls currently sprouting lots of fruit in our garden)

Oh well, you didn't mention last day of school was next Wednesday, we still have 4 weeks to go

I think its a good idea but worded wrongly. It should have been sent by the PTA and worded in a less presumptuous way

I don't think you can call it a gift if the idea is initiated by the recipients of the gift handing out a letter asking for money can you? If the class rep or the parents organised it it would seem a bit less grabby.

That seems really weird to me. Have never experienced anything like it before. And trees and benches don't come cheap - don't know how many Y6s you have but that sort of implies a fair whack of cash per child.

I think DS2's class gift to the school was a wooden bench with a little plaque saying "class of __". DS1's gift was a clock for the playground, again labelled with the class name. We gave, iirc, £5 towards these gifts, which is good value compared with giving chocolates/wine to individual teachers.

The class mums organised the gifts, so it was not a direct request from school.

We are a small village state school and during year 6 the kids hold various fundraisers so they can pay for a day out and a school present. Last years went to a theme park then bought a lovely wooden storytelling chair.

We are also expected to give money for teachers' gifts to the PTA.

And pay £15 for the leavers' party.

Lovely idea but no way should the deadline be Monday. To be fair it doesn't specify any particular amount which is nice. IME the PTA can be quite out of touch on this, A year one class was asked to stump up £20 each!

Saturday night disco in the village hall!!

I agree, better than half a dozen 'best teacher' mugs. Though I wouldn't be donating to the PTA as well, it would be one or the other.

When dd left primary a few of us got together and bought educational equipment for a school in Africa with updates from the village. I gather the remaining children loved receiving letters and pictures etc

Its not a gift then?

We ask parents not to give staff presents. Cards are lovely and appreciated. Small box of chocolates, mug or plant fine but nothing more. I have heard silly stories from schools of parents sending in perfume, alcohol, theatre tickets, hanbags etc. It is ridiculous. Teachers are paid a salary and a thank you card is a lovely gesture.

Sounds rude to me. The primary school I went to gifted each leaving student with two dictionaries (one Welsh, one French), with a personal message from the headmaster. We all used the rest of the 'blank space' at the front and back to get friends to sign. No donation was asked for, but it was a small village school. I'd be quite happy if the school asked for a donation for something similar - they are useful gifts, and the messages are lovely to look back on. A 'tree or bench' is a bit silly, and in all honesty something I relate to being morbid (planting a tree because someone died, not just moved schools). I may be odd though.

My DC have both been through prep school and we've never been asked for a penny to buy the school a gift! It's incredibly rude to ask in my opinion. And I wonder how many parents still feel obliged to provide individual gifts for teachers on top of the school gift? Outrageous.

TBH i can totally imagine the school needed something and were out of funds and this is how this started. Grabby.

IME when teaching quite a few headteachers had rather 'innovative' approach to budget decisions. In any other organisation they'd have been done for misappropriation of funds/being crap with the budget. Quite a few of my head's financial decisions left a particularly nasty taste in my mouth and the children didnt benefit in any way. I wasnt alone when i raised this with other teachers i met on training courses.

I thought it was quite normal, we did it at junior and senior school (but private again). I think it was the class rep who organised it though, and much more in advance! Actually, I went back quite recently, and saw my year group's present still there

At my prep school it was tradition to buy a token gift for everyone in your class (I have all of these still) and every teacher who'd taught you too.

The school gave all the year sixes a present too - a fountain pen, or a watch etc. in the school colours.