Presents for teachers

[6079SmithW]

I have two primary school age DDs and I am all out of ideas! Without help their teachers will end up with wine (AGAIN). AIBU to ask for your suggestions please?

I've taken the easy option of putting a fiver in the pot for each of my dc teachers and assistants this Christmas - this usually goes towards vouchers. Also a little something that I know the teacher likes too. There isn't any pressure to contribute but I appreciate how much work the teachers put into educating my dc.

I'm a secondary school teacher and don't expect anything. I've got a small gift for each of my form though, they are a lovely lot.

Every gift and card I've received has been treasured, and I keep all the cards to look at during the more challenging times! I think if I were to receive vouchers, I would put them towards resources for my extra curricular club, as the budget on consumables for that has already run out...

We put in a tenner and that covered, The Teacher, Teaching Assistant and PGCE student. Added up to a nice John Lewis voucher and a card with a little note from the child and parents

I posted the link for two reasons. The first is to highlight to people the extent that budget cuts impact on schools and how often teachers are routinely spending a significant amount of their own income on resources. The second to highlight the impact on teachers of the need of some people to make any threads about teachers a teacher bashing thread.

I have had a general gift of say cookies refused by health professionals eg wards or GP surgery.

And as for no homemade food yes it can be because of questionable hygiene issues but also due to diet, not because we're arseholes.
I'm a vegan. The parents don't know this and so 99.99% of homemade food I can't eat and I'd never regift something homemade. Chocolates can be passed on.

A colleague had celiac disease and unless all utensils were scrubbed clean of flour, and worktops, she couldn't eat the food (presuming gf ingredients were used). As she never knew whether this was the case she never ate it.

In nearly all of my DC's classes we have had an anonymous whip round organised by the class rep and then buy vouchers. It may not to sound too personalised but I remember having this new teacher and she was taken aback at being given nearly a couple of hundred pounds worth of vouchers which she then deservedly spent on herself.

I used to give a card with a lottery ticket or a scratch card.

Interestingly, in any school I’ve worked at, the children expect a small gift at Christmas and at the end of year. Usually a small egg at Easter too. To buy something tiny for 30 children costs at least a pound a head, plus ingredients for Christmas cooking and extras for Christmas crafts. We’ve had parents be quite huffy if the gift seems substandard. No one seems to mention this though- is it just where I live?
Teachers don’t expect presents and I get fed up with people vehemently arguing that we shouldn’t get them. Don’t buy one then, no big deal. We are not going to treat your child any differently

It is hard when you can’t afford to give gifts. I’m a single parent and I struggle to find dinner money. Dd wants to give her teacher a gift as everyone else does. We’ve made things before, my brother is a head in primary and gets loads that he just bins- a lot of mugs!
I find contributing to School an added pressure on my finances. Especially at Christmas - play tickets, panto, book fair, school photos, trips. I have had to find an additional £45 this month.
I really appreciate the work teachers do but it would be easier if there was a limit like in other public sector roles. I work in public sector and I am unable to accept gifts. As much as it is choice, it’s very difficult when you have no money and people are walking to School laden with massive bouquets and presents. Just saying it seems to have got bigger and bigger- the marketing in shops is bigger now too.

Sure I've also worked in a school where the children expext gifts. I've had a few children complain becauase the easter egg wasn't big enough and that the Christmas present wasn't enough.

MrsPiggy but that is not the teachers fault and those posters who seem to imply that it is are wrong.

We always appreciated boxes of chocolates/biscuits at the tail end of the hectic Christmas term

All the parents put together then the teachers get something like a decent value John Lewis voucher with wine and chocolates or something
30 people putting in £5 means teacher and TA all get something decent

Sailor I understand it’s not the teachers fault.**
I am just having a bad time and then something else pops up to pay for at school.* The pressure to attend the fairs etc. Again not the teachers fault it is because our schools are not funded properly.*

I have never bought a teacher a Christmas gift, although have sent a card! Do you include the teaching assistant and what happens at secondary school with so many teachers?

Sailor you keep saying that people should just not buy them but as PP said, the kids feel bad when all the others are giving the teachers gifts. If their was a policy against it ( as most other public sector workplaces) then this issue would be solved.
It seems to be every term now when at least at one point it was only the end of the year.

I am also appalled and the number of people who don't pay the voluntary contribution at school, less than 5% paid only £5 to help with their child's education for resources per year. Yet they all bring presents in that seemingly just get given to other people or thrown in the bin.

perhaps our parents do not contribute to a fund for resources and yes other children bring gifts but that is up to you to explain, it is not the teacher's responsibility to refuse to stop the cycle.

And parents should never need to pay for access to education at a state school, including the purchase of resources.

I’m a teacher with a now school aged daughter. Her teacher will be getting a card. Gifts are lovely but honestly unnecessary

Spotted a few posts from teachers writing stationery (writing and other office materials) as stationary (not moving)

I didn't say it was up to the teacher to change the policy.

heavenly my phone autocorrects a lot of words and doesn't actually recognise stationery as a word at times. I've given up.

I know someone who works in the private school sector - already had two Fortnum & Mason hampers

In our school as well as being pressurised to contribute to a present for the class teacher ("suggested" expected donation of £5 per head or £10 at the end of P7) we are also expected to pay £3.50 per head for a bag of tat from santa for our DC. (and of course this is on top of providing all the food for the class Christmas party, paying for the school disco, school nativities and of course the bottomless pit of money that is needed for the Christmas fair.)

I absolutely do not expect teachers to spend their own money buying gifts for my child but neither do I want to spend an extra £3.50 per child on a glorified party bag of tat that no-one wants or needs. If you don't pay up then either your dc is the only one to not get a gift from santa (which the school wouldn't let happen) or the school foots the bill (which absolutely shouldn't happen) so you really don't have a choice. It makes no sense when the axjlll could get a job lot of books from Book People for £1 per head, or small selection boxes from the cash & carry for less than that!

I hear what teachers are saying about not expecting (or even wanting) gifts but it's very, very hard to say no in the face of so much pressure, especially when it's your DC who are then accused of being stingey. Even with one child it adds up, but with 3 or 4 is gets totally ridiculous.

Teacher here. A card is so appreciated, really. We do get paid, and quite well compared to many parents. Resist the pressure!