to give teachers a 'snack pack' for trips?

[WhatGoesHere]

so - my son is due to go on a school residential for 3 nights.
Do you think it would be weird to send him with a box/bag of treats for the teachers - to help them "get through" the ordeal long days? I'm just thinking some biscuits, hot chocolate sachets, box of celebrations - that kind of thing.

I think it might be better than a thank you of the same thing after the event? I will ask DS to write a thank you card too - as teachers are giving up time and i gather it's actually really hard work taking kids away on these things?

do you think the admin staff should get a few treats too for their office? As they presumably did lots of prep work too??

This is very true and I definitely look after the children who I get gifts from more. The rest go to bed early. 🙄

This is very true and I definitely look after the children who I get gifts from more. The rest go to bed early. 🙄

Hello- I'm a teacher, sixth form, and have taken students seat on residential trips. Would love this as would my colleagues! Thank you

I've been known to give a similar (but containing alcohol) Red Cross box on return; it had been a difficult trip that needed cutting short. And yes, I did put a Red Cross on the box, it was appreciated.

...with no supper...

What a lovely idea and as a teacher who has been on many residentials, would certainly appreciate it! Xx

I'm a teacher and I can tell you now that your gesture would be so well received. The teacher is going to feel appreciated and touched that you thought about them. It would be lovely if more parents like yourself were out there.

okay - they don’t get paid overtime - but they do have a salary/ employment/ career progression etc and the organising of trips will count towards their appraisals and they can include on job applications .

@Goldiefinch .. I am a school admin. I get to go on the Y6 residential. I don’t have any “career progression” within the school system, I am on the highest salary point available to an admin officer in a state school which is part of an academy trust. Yes, it looks good on my appraisals but my head CANNOT pay me any more even though I know she would like to. Yes I can include it in job applications … for another job on exactly the same salary. Because of school budget cuts my hours are now at the minimum possible they can get away with. When I go on a residential I am THE first aider. I deal with all the medications. I accompany the children at all times unless they are in bed. If one feels ill during the night I get out of bed and go to the child. So… I am “on duty” from 8 am on day 1 until 4pm on day 3 (later if the coach gets held up or a parent(s) don’t come to collect). I get paid for my usual work hours…. 15 hours over those three days. I earned around £230 gross while being on duty for 55 hours. Yes the teacher on the trip earned more, the TA earned less.

Yet we don’t deserve a thank you and some chocolate? My colleague in the office also had to work extra to cover me not being there- also for free! She doesn’t deserve any thanks? We do it because we know how much the children get out of it and we do get a bit of a buzz when a child makes it to the top of the climbing wall or a team of children make a raft good enough to get across the lake. We don’t expect a thank you but it means SO much when we get it…..

I would 100% appreciate a snack pack from a parent while on residential. Top tip though, try and avoid nuts where possible.
I’m sure the admin staff would love a little treat as well. They are often overlooked at Xmas/end of year.

A gift to show appreciation is not all unreasonable. The teachers will be thankful, It's a lovely caring thought.

We used to give a bottle of decent wine each afterwards, they probably could use it after that!

I do residentials with children as a teacher and as a scout leader. I was once given a sharing bag of malteasers from a parent on a residential. It was very much appreciated.

You do you boo.

Just do it if you want. You really dont need a bunch of us strangers telling you that you will be seen as a 'try-hard'.

I'm sure the teachers will love their 'snack packs' but, equally a bottle of wine might be better received!

@Bellaboo01 possibly not on the coach at the start of the residential!

Ha ha - yes that is very true :)

Anyone giving these tokens of appreciation (which are ALWAYS much appreciated), please be aware that not all school stuff drink alcohol (yes I find it hard to believe too!).

Several of my colleagues don’t drink! They still appreciate the gesture but pass the bottle on to, for instance, their TA or someone in the office.

No, in the evenings and nights teachers are winding down, we do eat on trips, you know!

Soooo... you think teachers can't handle a mental load of drinking hot chocolate? What would these teachers be 'sorting out'- biscuits? I can tell you I can handle both my suitcase and a box of shortbreads! (And kids too btw!). Usually Id stick biscuits inside my bag and I would not have to overload my brain thinking constantly of the biscuits as I manage the trip... Didnt leave any kids behind in 10 years even despite the snacks in my bag.

We are not paid to do additional hours of trips in the evenings/weekends, where many have to spend their own money to cover childcare.

As a teacher - I think this would be lovely! Not even anything extravagant just a packet of Tesco’s own chocolate digestives would be lovely as it shows you’re grateful. Residential are hard. We get no extra pay. Kindness goes a long way - I wouldn’t call it sucking up! Our admin staff have no input in organising trips, we have to do all that, but it may be different in your school!

As “admin staff” I can say that in our school we are very much involved with trips…. making bookings, sending info to parents, collecting payments, applying for bursaries, collecting info from parents, sending info to venue. Some admin staff actually go on the trip.
In schools I’ve worked in the teachers, support staff and admin staff have all been pretty much a “team” - but this is primary of course…..

Also primary! I didn’t mean this in a bad way. Ours just don’t do that, we do all the parent/venue comms etc and I just meant our office team might be confused if they received a box of chocolates for a residential they had nothing to do with planning - an end of year gift would be lovely though! No harm intended

@WhatGoesHere

Speaking as a teacher who's done many a residential trip, I'd say it's a lovely, thoughful idea! They don't have to take it with them if they don't want to - they can share it when they get back - but they'll definitely appreciate your gratitude!! The number of 'thank yous' I've had over the years is probably still in single digits!!

Really? They never answer queries, process payments from parents/to companies, they don't wave the coaches in and don't set up the halls etc for parents meetings etc?

I'm surprised!

@WhatGoesHere Actually no we’re given the school credit card and told to organise it ourselves. We set up classrooms for meetings etc. They will ring down and tell us the coach has arrived though - fair enough😂 again, no malice intended I was just stating my school admin team would be confused to receive a gift for a residential. I’m glad it seems a lot of other school’s admin are so involved though!