AIBU to ask any teachers what end of term presents they really want

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I always dread buying end of term presents for my children's teachers...not because I begrudge the money, but because I don't know what to get and imagine they always end up with a load of knick-knacks and chocolate they don't really want, or wine when they don't drink. So to save me from the angst this year, if you're a teacher, what end of term presents would you choose for a budget of around £10?

My favourite (and I mean this), is a drawing they have done, or that they write and / or possibly make the card - and just a card.

if you prefer to purchase something, if it is a mug a travel mug please as we have to have a secure lid on a mug now if we are walking about the school / outside.

Nothing expensive though.

I asked a close friend who is a teacher!

I buy alcohol for my ch8lds teachers, because
1 he is absolutely hard work on a good day
And 2, they look like they need it on a bad day

Maybe a nice scarf and glove set perfect for cold break time duties, that's what I've bought aswell as some chocolates.

Just be aware some schools have a gift policy that’s very strict - we have to declare anything over £10 and I heard (but have no direct knowledge!) that the MAT made someone decline a bigger gift…..

personally I love biscuits and / or chocolate that can be put in the staff room for all to share….

Terms aren’t 7 weeks. Wish they were. That’s a half term. And no no one buys every term. I think the OP meant Christmas but not everyone celebrates Christmas so maybe that’s why they mean end of term. At the most it’s Christmas and summer. But never expected.

Honestly? I don’t want a gift. A nice card by you and child at the end of the year is enough.
What I appreciate more is parents who are supportive over the course of the year - be that through replying to emails, turning up to parent nights and being polite/respectful in raising concerns or issues throughout the year.

For those asking about cleaners, office staff etc. When I was a primary teacher I always got my cleaner a gift at Christmas. She was amazing. I always popped some chocs in the office as well for those and if I had a TA (it’s not always a given) I’d get them a fist too. Some parents do send things in. I am a parent now and often send in a box of chocs/biscuits for the staffroom or just class team if there’s a few staff.

Not all teachers receive gifts. I’m guessing secondary don’t or not many. Too many teachers and TAs to worry about issuing someone out. My child a bit embarrassed the first year as not many took things in so we stopped.

And I now teach in a school where I deliver lessons in all classes and often whilst the class teacher and TAs get gifts I’m usually missed off. Which is fine as I don’t expect gifts. Think the first year was a slight surprise after being primary. Often there’s one parent who will remember the other random staff and I’ve had the odd lovely card/gift. Simple things like a lip balm popped in a Christmas card have been much appreciated.

My sons class we all chipped in and got the teacher one big present we put in 20 and they got a lovely voucher, rather than loads of little bits!

Honestly, I’ve always preferred a handmade card but if parents really do want to give a gift, a voucher is the absolute best thing. You are absolutely right- kind as it is, in some schools I’ve worked in you end up coming back with enough wine to fill a swimming pool and enough chocolate to sink a battleship!

Thats very kind. I'd say no to chocolates because teachers are normally given so many it's just too much and they can be wasted.

Wine's always a winner, homemade cards are appreciated, a nice pen, notebooks, post its.... anything stationery.

But an email with a thank you is appreciated just as much. X

This. This is what we got my daughter’s teacher last year. Something for everyone.

I have just given my Christmas gifts yesterday morning before they get over whelmed with things next week.

dd teacher got the marks and spencer musical light tin with biscuits £10

ds teacher got a regifted set of joules toiletries and I paid £2.99 for a teacher christmas bauble

school is on two sites so got from marks and spencer 2 sets of
Percy pig Christmas sweets,
assorted toffee sweets,
Jaffa orange tea cakes and
a chocolate biscuit assortment.
cost around £26 for 2 of each

then I got 2 packets of gluten free biscuits £3 for 2

quite a few teachers stopped me to say they appreciated the midweek treats.

I'm surprised at the amount of people giving their children alcohol to give their teachers!!
I don't think it's appropriate at all. I give a small gift but would never dream of sending alcohol into the school. If its a gift from the child to the teacher then surely it shouldn't be something the child can't even legally buy.

A primary school teacher friend of mine was delighted when three parents clubbed together and gave her 30 Pritt Sticks for the class. Resources are scarce on tight school budgets.

A tenner a child? At the end of term, for an individual teacher? I mean that’s very nice but I’m surprised they’re allowed to accept something that high value.

We all club the tenners together and get John Lewis vouchers.

I taught in a primary school and one year a child kindly asked me what gift I would like for Christmas. I told him that I love chocolate, but no wine (I’m teetotal). The message he took home was exactly the opposite and I ended up with a lovely bottle of wine, another one for the raffle!

No one size fits all.

I'd hate a costa/Starbucks gift card. I wouldn't use it so it would be a complete waste of money. But I'd love wine/chocs that I can use over the Christmas season, even if I don't eat or drink them myself.

I get a nice box of chocolates each for the teacher and the TA at Xmas. They can always give them away, leave them in the staffroom or share them with family if they don’t want them.

Then I do Waitrose/JL vouchers at the end of the year - they can either buy something nice for themselves from JL or buy food (we have a Waitrose near school).

One of the mums in my son's reception class started a collection for christmas presents. Everyone chipped in. That's nice, I thought, the teacher will get a hefty John Lewis voucher or something. Hoooo boy. This mum took it upon herself to make individual gift bags from each child, that were identical. And there were two teachers. So both teachers each got 30 silver gift bags, 30 miniature bottles of prosecco, 30 bath bombs, 30 best teacher ever mugs, 30 chocolate santas, 30 tiny succulents.

We only found out when she put a message on the Whatsapp group asking if anyone could help her carry the presents from her car.

But if every child buys them a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates that’s still roughly a tenner a child. I imagine if individual presents are given then some would exceed that. This is for a form tutor.This would be Christmas and end if year. Nothing at Easter.

I agree, but normally you have to declare gifts of higher value than about £25 and monetary gifts are often not allowed under financial policies. It was just surprising is all, but every school will have a policy about this so I guess that will all have been taken into account.

I'm a Uni lecturer, not a teacher. Sometimes my students get me small gifts at Xmas, or more likely when they leave. What I love is when students write really heartfelt messages of thanks and appreciation. I think as a teacher I'd like to receive that from an older child and/or from the parents. I'm really not fussed about gifts as such.

If you really want to gift something to a teacher alongside a card, I imagine small and consumable would be best. High quality food gifts.

So both teachers each got 30 silver gift bags, 30 miniature bottles of prosecco, 30 bath bombs, 30 best teacher ever mugs, 30 chocolate santas, 30 tiny succulents.

How utterly bizarre!!! What was she thinking??

You're a teacher? Stationery...