To think a class whip round for teacher's Xmas present shouldn't come to £££

[lollapaloser]

My child is in first term of reception class. The class rep asked all parents in the class WhatsApp group if we'd like to contribute to vouchers for a Christmas present for the teacher. I said probably not, I'll just get DS to make or buy a small token something (from him). And wouldn't a group gift be better at the end of the school year?

Anyway, an 'experienced' mum with older children said a £10-£20 contribution per child/family is normal and it's split between the teacher and TA. Given there are 30 children in the class we'd end up with between 300 and 600 quid, which seems bonkers.

Turns out I was in a minority of 1 in thinking it was OTT/tacky/morally wrong. A few people jumped in to say how much the teacher does, caring for our children every day, going above and beyond, how wonderful she is etc. How none of us would think twice about spending £20 on a takeaway. Another said she couldn't get a bottle of wine and chocs for £20 so it's a good deal, plus it saves her time. And that she sometimes also bakes or whatever as well as the donation.

There are just so many things about this I don't agree with. It's the teacher's job, she's not a saint, wouldn't it embarrass her, she'd have to declare it, could it be seen as bribery, I think the parent who suggested we can all chuck £20 away without thinking about it is clueless about most people's finances, I think the thank you should come from the child, not the parents in a grand gesture of performative gratitude, if Teach is so wonderful why wouldn't you go to more effort, larger value doesn't equal greater thanks, if we're raising a big chunk of money wouldn't it be better spent on equipment for the school, etc . . . I could go on.

This is in a (turns out more affluent than I realised) London suburb. Everyone else has responded saying they'd transferred money, mostly a tenner. I know in the grand scheme of things a tenner isn't much but that's not the main point.

I actually emailed the school about this and whether their gifting policy could state a cap on gift amounts. But their reply just said parents can give what they want and that it isn't a policy issue as doesn't affect the children.

I reckon I'm the only one of 30 sets of parents not contributing. I now feel a bit isolated from the group for thinking differently.

It's annoying, but tbh for the sack of a quiet life I would just suck it up and put in a tenner.

The fact that all these people wouldn't even notice £20 for a takeaway probably says quite a lot out the out of control debt levels that a lot of on the surface middle class people have.

Teachers get paid very little, a small contribution at Christmas and the end of the year seems only fair really.

^Paid very little? I don’t know any teacher on less than £33k

^Paid very little? I don’t know any teacher on less than £33k Really? I was on £37k when I retired after 30 years, I was on Upper Pay Scale 3 (no additional responsibilities - I have a life), so there must be plenty earning much less.

I don't do teacher gifts. I write a letter at the end of the school year thanking them if they've been especially lovely and the DC write each teacher a Christmas card.

£600 is more than my entire Christmas budget!!

How refreshing it would be if it isn't a 50/50 split if the TA got the larger amount rather than the teacher given the TA gets paid a lot less.

It would be refreshing but from what I've seen (school governor, not a TA) the gifts are usually for the teacher who has about 25-30 gifts and the TA gets one or two 'because all they do is filing and displays'

(awaits rightly indignant TAs at the slur on their duties!)

The best, most heart-warming gifts, are a card or letter saying thank you particularly if they mention something you have done with the child. You never forget those.

^Paid very little? I don’t know any teacher on less than £33k

Any NQT will be on less than that.

^Paid very little? I don’t know any teacher on less than £33k
Staff certainly work more than their contracted hours and regularly do more to support the broader education of children beyond the classroom.
We don't get paid very little, but given £33k is the middle of the upper pay scale after 8 years of teaching then there's a hell of a lot of teachers not being paid that, especially given most leave before 5 years in the profession.

Pay scales: getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/teachers-salary-and-teaching-benefits/teachers-pay-scale-salary

When I worked as a TA (in a very upper class area) the parents had a whip round and I ended up with a voucher for John Lewis worth £380! I was very greatful but equally embarrassed (and don’t shop in John Lewis ) but what meant the most for me was the two lovely cards I got from both the parents and children thanking me for the difference I had made within the classroom and how the children were fond of me. I was only 19 at the time and just starting out working in childcare after gaining my level 3 qualification and five years, a start to a degree and managerial position later and I still have those cards. Focus on the meaning not the expense.

Just wondering doesn’t this have tax implications for the teacher? When I left teaching two years ago we had to declare gifts more than £30 to the school for tax purposes.

mushy
Token gifts haven't had to be declared at any school Ive worked in.

I can't see how parents clubbing together for one present would need declaring Vs the same amount spent on chocolates, notebooks and Costa vouchers .

@tigger1001 we do lots to keep the cost of the school day down. We use the toolkit provided by the child poverty action group.
We have a free uniform rail which does footwear and sportswear too.
At Hallowe'en and Christmas we run dressing up and Christmas jumper swaps

The Parent Council work with the school to keep the cost of trips down or subsidise then where possible.

We do run fundraising events but they are affordable eg our fairs are free to enter with costs inside set at pocket money prices (in our area some fairs can cost £3 per head to enter - £7 at one school!)

We run events to try and support parents and carers to claim any/all benefits they are entitled to and work with the local CAB to get their support too.

Cost of the school day is always one of our starting points for anything.

The school consulted teachers and they decided no gifts at Christmas or end of year. The majority of parents respect this.

Apart from lunches the only additional school cost I've had since August is £1 for Children in Need and £5 for the panto (even that was subsidised.

Uniform spend was less then £30.

Just to add some of the most treasured gifts I received were small and inexpensive.

Lola It certainly was the case in the last school (secondary) which I taught at. I must admit though that gifts just above the £30 threshold were often not declared.

We do a whip round, and people put in what they feel like. Some give lots, others nothing at all. The present is divided between the teacher and either 3 or 4 TAs (for various reasons there are lots of them). But it is from EVERYone, whether or not they contributed.

It doesn't matter what was raised or given. What is shocking and insensitive is the assumption that everyone could afford it and that a bottle of wine would cost more than £20 anyway. The jumping in to defend was group think and trying to be popular.
How sad for grown women to behave like this. Obviously some of these women don't realise that not everyone lives their gilded lives. I used to earn a lot of money but I hope I never behaved like a twat.

God forbid that you contribute towards something for the people who look after your children, whilst you carry on your life...

I don’t like talk of chucking in a “tenner” or a “fiver” like it’s nothing.

daisypond
The OP has stated that they are in an affluent area.

I don't get people seeing a thread where someone indicates the social background of those concerned and then tried to do the whole shocked thing like "but £5/10 could be someone's food for the week". Yes I can be for some, but the poster asking probably knows the social set up of the group they're speaking about.

@Ihatecbeebies79 you do realise teaching is a job don’t you? It’s not an act of sainthood.

Granted, I wouldn’t want to be a teacher but then lots of teachers wouldn’t want to be nurses or dishwashers or astro-physicists. They aren’t “looking after your children” that’s what childcare providers do. They are educating your children, teaching them. Some are amazing, some are crap, most are good. Just like any other profession.

It is the norm in primary schools especially in London. Sorry but the would it be Seen as bribery made me laugh so much 😂😂😂😂😂😂 no she wouldnt have to declare it, it’s not insider trading! Just chip in what you can afford but I would prefer to give money and not have the hassle and believe me no teacher wants hand made things from students cluttering up their house/classroom

I’m with the other parents. Im grateful to the teachers they work hard £10 for them at Christmas is fine by me. Bet they would prefer a voucher for one amount than 20 odd candles or bottles of dodgy wine which is what my mother as a primary school teacher would get. Plus working parents busy is easier to chip in. Don’t if you don’t want to that’s fine but you sound a real busybody fudging about what others do.

Our classes sometimes do a whip round and sometimes don't. As I like to be prepared and they are usually last minute I have usually sorted something when they ask so don't contribute.

I always ask my DC what they think the teacher needs (white board pens, scissors etc what are they always needing) and we get that and maybe metallic pens or clips or notepad and then a small sweetie and wrap it in cellophane or a Christmas box :)

OP herself says she is in an affluent London suburb.
So 5 pounds isn't likely to be that much for most people realistically. In other areas it could be a lot more.

I also think chucking is also used to describe the simplicity of the process, handing over a fiver is a lot easier than buying a present, wrapping it, remembering to bring it into school.

Gifting should never be compulsory but this is a pretty painless way of doing it.