To buy or not to buy teachers/teaching assistants Christmas presents.

[AG29]

As above ^

I know this has probably been spoken about this loads so I apologise. But do you buy them presents?

In previous years I have bought Christmas gifts for my sons teachers and the teaching assistants. He has sen and I appreciate all their work.

However, now DD is also at school it’s going to be so expensive to do so.

Do they expect it? Do they get fed up of all the gifts? Is a nice card enough? Hand made card?

DS isn’t keen on anything arty or crafty so that makes it more difficult.

Teachers and 2-3 TA’s in each class Is going to add up! 🤭

[TabbyMumz]

"Downton57

@TabbyMumzYour evidence clearly trumps my 30 years experience in schools and all those teachers on the facebook sites I follow must be telling fibs about the present making/giving they are doing this month. I'm also pretty sure teachers don't get points for cleaning up sick."

It's my experience, not my evidence. Your experience may be different. I've had kids at school for the last 10 years, and only one ever brought home a present from a teacher one year, it was a pencil. I dont expect teachers to get them anything, it was a nice gesture. Not quite sure why you think I would lie, or make that up?
Teachers roles are evaluated. They get scores / points for all the various responsibilities and roles they have. one area that will be scored is their workplace and any factors that might be unpleasant, such as environment....children being sick on them comes under this. The more points a job has the higher the grade. This is a fact.

[NailsNeedDoing]

You can't afford it, so don't even feel you need to consider it. its not expected at all.

It's a nice thing to do, simply because giving a small token gift creates a lovely moment between a child and the adults that they spend all day with, (unlike a collection) and it shows thanks and consideration from the parents. But getting your child just to make/draw a nice card does that, it doesn't have to cost money.

[countdowntochristmas]

Nope if others do good for them but for me it's added expense and another gift to buy .
In the past I've sent cakes in chocolates but no individual gift .

[Saucery]

I would hate to think anyone had spent money they could ill afford on a present for me. The cards I get are lovely and more than sufficient. I’m allergic to/don’t like a lot of foodstuffs, ditto smellies, so I’d rather a card written or made by the child I teach than presents.

[Tillyscoutsmum]

I never get Christmas gifts for dc's teachers. I do get something at the end of the year. I'm also a primary school teacher btw. Definitely don't expect anything although end of term thank you of wine description (card/letter etc) is much appreciated

[Tillyscoutsmum]

I meant of something description not of wine description 😂 Possibly Freudian. Wine is never a bad thing 😂

[LolaSmiles]

Teachers roles are evaluated. They get scores / points for all the various responsibilities and roles they have. one area that will be scored is their workplace and any factors that might be unpleasant, such as environment....children being sick on them comes under this. The more points a job has the higher the grade. This is a fact
What a bizarre post.
Do you actually have any first hand experience of how pay, progression and job roles are allocated in UK schools?

[Holymolymackerel]

We give presents to the teachers and teaching assistants, a box of biscuits for the staff room and a little something for both swimming teachers and guitar teacher. Not expensive or fancy gifts though!

[MyNewBearTotoro]

I’m a teacher at a special school and definitely don’t expect gifts as there are 6 of us in the class team. If parents do feel they want to buy a gift though then something to share like a tin of chocolates or box of biscuits etc is always well appreciated.

[Downton57]

@TabbyMumz I wasn't saying you were lying! I was trying to explain that my experience is a lot wider as I am on a facebook site with thousands of teachers and a popular topic at this time of year is presents for pupils, so they are definitely a thing. I'm not saying all teachers do but it happens in lots of schools. At all the primary schools I've taught in, the teachers have given little Christmas presents to pupils, whether a pencil, lolly or small toy. As for the sick thing, I'm not sure what to say about that.

[Pipandmum]

We don't now but in the past we gave homemade peppermint creams drizzled with dark chocolate and another year homemade fudge. You can just give something to their main teacher.
My sister's daughter has autism and she has 13 therapists/teachers/staff. No way could my sister afford to buy them something so she always bakes things. One year she had an Austrian au pair who made bakery quality biscuits that looked amazing.
It was only customary to get a whole class gift at the end of the school year when the kids were moving up - £5-10 per child and it was split say 50% to teacher 25% to each TA, usually a John Lewis voucher or similar.

[lovelyjubilly]

Teachers roles are evaluated. They get scores / points for all the various responsibilities and roles they have. one area that will be scored is their workplace and any factors that might be unpleasant, such as environment....children being sick on them comes under this. The more points a job has the higher the grade. This is a fact.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[sarahC40]

As a teacher at secondary we don't usually have to worry about parents and gifts (occasional little things pop up). I would absolutely not want parents to spend their hard earned cash on me - a card with a personal message would be very kind and mean more. That said, whilst I didn't go crazy, when my kids left primary, I found out where staff were going for a meal (usually Bella Italia or somewhere) and I bought vouchers to knock down the bill as a gift to say thanks.

[sarahC40]

More 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 at the idea of danger money for being spewed on. Must tell my head that when my shoes next get decorated by a year seven with noro.

[RhymingRabbit3]

Teachers roles are evaluated. They get scores / points for all the various responsibilities and roles they have. one area that will be scored is their workplace and any factors that might be unpleasant, such as environment....children being sick on them comes under this. The more points a job has the higher the grade. This is a fact.
What???
So do you think each teacher and class is evaluated to decide how much the teacher is being paid? Oh Mrs Smith has Johnny this year, he always gets sick so she can have an extra £5 a month. Mr Jones has a class with lots of SEN which will be difficult to teach, he can have an extra £10 per month. Mrs Davis' classroom has had a refurb so she has a nicer working environment, deduct £15 a month.

"This is a fact" my arse.

[IceCreamAndCandyfloss]

Yes, I always did for teachers and TAs in Primary and then select staff at secondary now.

Teachers may get a salary but the majority go over and above their job spec and it’s nice to show appreciation. They spend an enormous amount of time with our change and are a daily part of their lives and help shape them.

I have friends that don’t though but then don’t think twice about tipping the taxi driver, waitress etc for a service they have already paid for.

[TabbyMumz]

"What???
So do you think each teacher and class is evaluated to decide how much the teacher is being paid? Oh Mrs Smith has Johnny this year, he always gets sick so she can have an extra £5 a month. Mr Jones has a class with lots of SEN which will be difficult to teach, he can have an extra £10 per month. Mrs Davis' classroom has had a refurb so she has a nicer working environment, deduct £15 a month."

No. You have totally misunderstood. All roles in local Government are evaluated to start with. It is not the school that does it. The standard roles were evaluated years ago to give a guide as to where the teachers role should sit on the pay scales. Then the government issue teachers pay scales from that, nationally. When schools appoint, they decide where on the pay scale they should sit, based on their progression and responsibilities, but the job role itself was evaluated by central Government years ago. So generally, children being sick and environmental and emotional issues are already taken into account. Dont forget, years ago there weren't as many ta's in schools as there are now., so teachers did have to literally provide care etc fir all the kids in their class aswell as teach. These days ta's take on some of that role and their jobs are evaluated under the njc scheme.

[Maryann1975]

• Tvstar
  
  How about buying presents for their brown owls, sports coaches etc who volunteer their tie for your dc, rather than the school staff who are paid*
  This!
  And whoever said there are 6 scout leaders and she isn’t buying 6 presents, we don’t mind sharing you know! We would take biscuits or chocolates to our next meeting or ave them for a sleepover or just take a handful of chocolates out of the tub each. We would be over the moon if one of our 30 brownies thought to bring something for us as a token thank you!

[TabbyMumz]

"What a bizarre post.
Do you actually have any first hand experience of how pay, progression and job roles are allocated in UK schools?"
Not bizarre at all @LolaSmiles....I'm talking about what is decided by Government through evaluation before pay scales are established. The Government doesnt just pick payscales out of thin air and say "I tell you what, we will say teachers can be paid this salary to this salary"? The role is evaluated to start with. That's where all the parts of the role are looked at.

[Bowerbird5]

Cards are lovely. It is a very busy and tiring time of year. A £5 box of Roses, Quality Street etc goes down very well in the staff room or a box of M&S chocolate biscuits if you are really keen.

[babybythesea]

I usually get my two to write a card, and then I write one as well. As detailed as possible (DD1 is particularly loving the topic this term... thank you for your work to make it so interesting for her.) I don’t do gifts. However, I do bake biscuits for the return to school in January to go into the staff room - I figure the extra sugar is just as needed to face the new term as it was to limp to the end of the last one!

[firstimemamma]

I would do a little something. Pound land do lovely candles / boxes of chocs. If you can't afford a pound per present then a thank you note.

[Downton57]

@babybythesea that sounds perfect! Any teacher would be delighted with that.

[MrsLJ2014]

@TabbyMumzYour
😂😂😂😂
So at my next performance management meeting, I can just mention how much sick and wee I've cleaned up and I'll get a pay rise? That's where I've gone wrong in the last 20 odd years 😂😂

Small presents very much appreciated but not expected. Some cards I keep for years if they have a lovely message in.

[TabbyMumz]

"@TabbyMumzYour

So at my next performance management meeting, I can just mention how much sick and wee I've cleaned up and I'll get a pay rise? That's where I've gone wrong in the last 20 odd years"

Err no, that's not how it works. Not sure if you managed to read my last post. It's already been taken into account.