To ask what makes a good teacher's gift

[Tangerineandturquoise]

and TA and head of lower school
DS is moving up next year and his teacher and the head of lower school have been great for him, they have really helped him to shine. He hasn't been at the school long.
The class aren't doing a joint gift which is a shame
I don't want to be over the top or underwhelming- I know they are amazing because they love doing what they do- I just want something to say Thank You.
So what are you all doing-or what do the teachers want or not want

Whatever you get do write a nice card and express your gratitude to them.

my teacher friends and family (there are quite a few) say that something done by the child is most appreciated (made or decorated), followed by alcohol!

When my DS moved up, we got a fruit basket for the staff. I simply got a large plate (I think it was a plastic serving plate for garden use from Tesco), piled fruit on it and wrapped it in florists cellophane (off eBay) with a nice bow, it looked great. The teachers always get so much chocolate, and they were really pleasantly surprised. We made sure (in a card) that they knew it was also for the receptionist, the janitor etc.

Ah yes the card- I will start looking for some nice ones
Fruit baskets sound nice-it is hard to find ways that acknowledge everyone

I like ones made of chocolate or with a cork!

It might also be worth suggesting what is not a good teacher gift, such as most things off the ‘presents for teacher’ stand in the supermarket – crappy chocolates, world’s best teacher mugs, Bayliss and Harding gift sets, that sort of thing. Ask yourself – would you like to receive 25 or 30 of them? If the answer is no, it’s not a good gift.

Fruit is a nice idea, but what if the teacher is going on hols soon after term ends? Sometimes a personalised card made by the child is all that is needed.

Booze, plant or voucher. I get the kids to make cards to go alongside.

What they don't want according to my teacher friends, is anything that has the word "teacher" on it!!!

worktolive I wouldn't give something I wouldn't be happy to receive. I never do.

Thank you Crossroads, probably getting DS to make the card is a good idea

A friend of mine sent in strawberries and cream for each of her children's teachers.

I think something consumable is a good idea - I suspect teachers get lots and lots of mugs and scented candles, and so a present that they can enjoy without having to find a space for at home, is probably a good thing.

I tend to go for a home made card and a nice notebook.

I have personalised wine labels made (spotted spoon website) and a little apple keyring again personalised (crafty giraffe). Just ordering little chocolate apples from fairytale gourmet and I'm done lol

I get a job lot of Millie's cookies and send them in for the whole staffroom. Send in a week earlier than they finish. All the staff get a little thank-you then. Card written out by DC with a nice message always goes down well

My parents are teachers. From my experience of them and lots of other teachers, alcohol always goes down well!!!
Homemade cards are always treasured :)

My boys decorated fabric shopping bags for their teachers and TAs - then we put a bottle of champagne in each of them. Hoping they go down well - my mum as a retired teacher said she'd have been thrilled with this.

Stationary! Highlighters, post it notes, notebooks, folders etc

God yes! One of the best pressies I ever got was 10 glue sticks with a lovely bow around them .

I hate booze, chocolate or toiletries

I like -a child or parent saying thank you
-a nicely worded card (homemade or bought, I don't mind)
-scented candles just not lavender
-stationary
-bags big enough and strong enough to carry books

But to be honest i'm grateful for anything

Wine (according to the many many teachers in my family). My poor step mum was a teacher for 35 years. Dear god she recieved so much tat, that she felt bad about throwing away so was forced to keep! Wine always went down very well, as did most food based gifts.

We made amazing chocolate brownies to give to all of the staff. They went down a treat.

I hope none of you stationary lovers are English teachers :o

I think I am getting DS fabulous teachers a gift voucher each and may see if I can find somewhere that does personalised pens? Then a nice card from me and DS.

Last year DS decorated plain tote bags (clever bag co) and filled them with sticky notes, pens, paper clip etc for his teacher and TA.

He has loved seeing her carry her books around school in that bag.

I like to do the same for this teacher too but not sure if it'll look lazy as it's been done before.

Stationery. Pens. Nice boxes from Paperchase. I personally love all my Best Teacher mugs. I use them when I've had a crap day at work, to remind me that at least those kids liked me! (I'm secondary so they're often bought from pocket money).

I usually buy the above or a Good Gift from Oxfam.

We got DDs teacher an orchid in a plant pot. She had said they were her favourites and we got one to match the colour of her living room at home. Only know this because we were talking about decorating. She leaves the school in september, as we gave her this today, we will get something else and card at the end of term.

This teacher has been a huge help to us with dd over the last two years and I am gutted she won't be teaching ds.