To be peeved at £80 class kitty demand by class rep??

[Mrbrowncanpoocanyou]

I am pretty annoyed by this. DS is in an independent school and we can just about afford the fees. A demand was sent for £80 quid per child (10 kids on the class). £800 for gifts for teacher, TA, gifts at Christmas, flowers as a thank you after the class nativity seems ludicrously exorbitant. I would much rather buy our own presents but I feel as if I will end alienating myself and ds if we don't pay. There was no mention of it being voluntary. I don't know if this standard in schools?

[halfdrunkcoffee]

That's a huge amount. Surely the teacher doesn't need such an expensive present. Can you ask them to reconsider the amount or just say you'll do your own gift.

[GabiSolis]

That is utterly insane. When I was at school we gave boxes of chocolates and mugs. I now spend a maximum of £10 at Christmas for my dcs teachers. No way would I be contributing to something so ridiculous and extravagant.

[Ragwort]

I think this is shocking, I know it is difficult but I really think you should let the Head know, a lot of people will be put in an awkward position and be too embarrassed to say anything.

And as others have said, large gifts need to be declared for tax reasons - few other professions allow their employees to accept gifts.

I am quite confident and have never, ever felt the need to give 'teacher gifts' (my DS has never even mentioned it either) - preferring to send a hand written note if I feel it is deserved but so many parents seem to feel 'obliged' to give teacher gifts every year. The saddest thing I ever saw was a family who collect food from the local food bank (where I volunteer) every week taking in a large, clearly expensive gift to their child's school at the end of term .

[pudcat]

This problem crops up every year. Teachers do not expect expensive presents. I was happy to have a card or picture. Compulsory collections of any amount are so wrong. Maybe the class reps think their child will be shown more favouritism if they can collect large amounts of money. As for using money to get birthday presents for children - how ridiculous.

[Keeptrudging]

I'm a teacher. This is ridiculous. The gifts which I have received from pupils over the years and kept/treasured have been ones they've made/drawn/written themselves. For some of my past pupils (SEN), it took a great deal of effort for them to draw a picture or write a few words. I've got a pretty box which I keep these in, and they are far more precious to me than any expensive gifts chosen by a nominated mum could ever be.

[Bunbaker]

"or chocolates made by the child."

If I was a teacher I'm not sure I would appreciate that, especially a primary age child.

[Bunbaker]

And what even is a class rep?

[PHANTOMnamechanger]

I'm a teacher. This is ridiculous. The gifts which I have received from pupils over the years and kept/treasured have been ones they've made/drawn/written themselves. For some of my past pupils (SEN), it took a great deal of effort for them to draw a picture or write a few words. I've got a pretty box which I keep these in, and they are far more precious to me than any expensive gifts chosen by a nominated mum could ever be.

^I agree with this perspective.
I even appreciated the out of date box of chocolates handed to me by a child, becasue I knew that even though they had been hurriedly fished out of a cupboard as an afterthought, the child enjoyed feeling they had given me something.

Competitive mummying and buying of expensive gifts (that teachers dont want need or cherish as much as the self nominated alpha mummy thinks) are a PITA. One of the mums in DDs class tried this, with her 'suggested' £10 to cover the teacher and TAs gifts, very few opted in because the majority either thought a card and chocs would do, or the DC made a picture and wrote thank you on it. After the first year she never tried again!

[mummyofmany5]

Can I point out that a c grade at independent school is equivalent to a* at state school. Independent schools do iGCSEs but state schools do standard GCSEs. That's what you pay for as well as a more varied view of knowledge. If my child got a c or b at independent level, I'd be happy. If they got an a, I'd be ecstatic! That's why universities take more private school people, their grades are worth more.its something the moaners don't want the public to know...... :)

[HighwayDragon1]

Mummy I work at a standard secondary comp and can assure you our year 11s are doing iGCSEs

[LyndaNotLinda]

With respect mummyofmany, that is absolute balderdash. The school that told you that is sniggering at your gullibility behind one hand as they take your cash with the other.

[TTTatty]

iGCSE's are slightly harder than GCSEs but nowhere near the C grade is A!
You have been told rubbish.

(iGCSEs do not have a coursework element so my Home Ed daughter is taking some. I wish I could take lots of extra joy if she gets a lower grade because of iGCSE but I can't!)

[lifesalongsong]

Maybe what you say is true in some schools mummyofmany5 but I can assure you it isn't in all independent schools.

Are you maybe in London? It most definitely isn't the case countrywide as I'm sure hundreds of posters will tell you. And it's just nonsense to think that's why more private school children go to university.

[Keeptrudging]

What is "a more varied view of knowledge"?

Am off to Google igcse - I've never heard of them

[GinandJag]

I personally like when you have a couple of class reps organising gifts for teachers and other things. The teacher usually gets a decent present, rather than endless bath and chocolate products. In my experience, when there is a class rep, the teacher suggests a present which they put to the benefit of the class, eg a digital camera. They are also brilliant with copious amounts of cellophane and curly ribbon.

I'd like to think the £80 is just a suggestion. Imagine you were giving a teacher gift and something for other staff, how much would you pay? If it's £10 or £20, just donate that. Tell the class rep that this is all you can afford. By challenging them, you can start to put a stop to ridiculous requests and other parents will thank you for it.

Do you have get-togethers so as a mums' group? TBH, if they are handling large amounts of cash, there should be policies and scrutiny.

We've always been the poorest members of our classes (that's what five children in independent school does). I've never felt too pressured with class gifts, or with other PTA fundraising. I've always felt that those who had more did give more, but never felt that the poorer people were not doing their bit. I have also seen that some of the class "moms" were often non-working expats who had no clue as to the reality of life in the UK, but had plenty of time to do the rep job. A quiet word that £80 was a lot of money would leave them horrified and embarrassed at their ignorance.

[LyndaNotLinda]

Because IGCSEs also include coursework, many people think they're easier to pass than conventional GCSEs. They were originally designed for children who didn't have English as a first language I believe.

[HighwayDragon1]

The main difference is that the IGCSE still includes some elements of the old GCSE: coursework, oral and practical assessment as well as exams. The IGCSE is offered at different levels, and some teachers think that it has more scope for more able pupils at the higher level.

But - opinions on GCSE and IGCSE exams are mixed: many more state schools are entering their pupils for the IGSCE exam because they prefer the mix of coursework and exams which is now no longer so evident in the new GCSE curriculum. There is also more scope for teachers to choose from a wider range of material.

Last year (2013), 78,000 pupils took the IGCSE English Language exam compared with 17,000 a year ago. Some school enter pupils for both exams.

Some teachers – and pupils- think that the IGSCE exam is now easier than the new GCSE exam, because of the content of the syllabus and the range of assessment.

As a parent, it is probably unlikely that you will be able to choose which exam your child is entered for. If the school offers both, then discuss your child's needs. If your child achieves higher marks with coursework and performs badly under exam conditions, then the IGCSE is an option.

But be aware that some universities have their own preferences. An increasing number are happy to accept International GCSE English, but some will not.

If your child is heading for university you should, even at this stage, research entry requirements on each university's website.

[DoreenLethal]

Batshit crazy.

[CrotchetQuaverMinim]

is the £80 supposed to cover the teacher, and the TA, and perhaps other support staff, for both Christmas and end of year gift, and perhaps other things in the year? (after a residential, etc?) It doesn't seem quite as bad in that case, though still too much. But it wouldn't surprise me if some families who do buy gifts for teacher and one or two TAs, and other specialists, for Christmas, end of term, thank yous after a trip, etc, do end up spending £50 or more over the year. So perhaps they do appreciate having a class rep just sort it all out for them, though I agree that it takes the personal element out of it and that many teachers would rather have a card and thank you from the individual child.

Though as a teacher, I wouldn't actually mind having a clubbed together gift over several little boxes of chocolates that I shouldn't be eating, etc. More likely to get something that I might use. But I don't expect gifts and am very appreciative of any little gifts I do get, as well as cards.

As for GCSEs, I know a number of pupils at a state school who are taking iGCSE English this year, and finding it incredibly easy, compared to what they had been working on in previous years. Even they are surprised that it's as easy as it is. On the other hand, I've had some maths pupils do iGCSE in previous years who found that syllabus more difficult than the other ones. So it varies a lot with subject, and also with expected grade - I've heard that some of the iGCSEs can be easier to pass, but harder to get top grades in.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Mummyofmany - what utter cock. DD2 is at an independent school and is doing "normal" GCSEs. I agree with Lynda...

[Bunbaker]

DD is doing IGCSE maths and it is harder than GCSE.

[mummyofmany5]

Wow! How rude!

[mummyofmany5]

Wow! How rude!

[OVienna]

Have a quiet word with the head. It
Will make the teacher feel very uncomfortable and perhaps wondering what is expected in return. Agree will be tax and disclosure requirements. In fact she could be in a situation where she/he is asked why the heck it was accepted conceivably.

[bloodyteenagers]

As others have said. Doesn't matter if it's an IGCSE or a GCSE the grades are the same.
As with anything you have to check with each uni. Not all will accept the English syllabus 0510 for example.