Gifts for teaching and nursery staff

[Eldermileniummam]

What do you give at the end of the year?

If you work in a school or nursery, what are the gifts you honestly appreciate the most?

Gift voucher for somewhere like m and s. Definitely not mugs, candles or best teacher merchandise!

I hate threads like this because I’ve never got a ‘best teacher’ mug and would really like one 😁I honestly am so grateful for any gift though. Even if it’s something I might not personally love (like alcohol) I still absolutely appreciate it and just quietly regift it. I’d never be cross or ungrateful for a gift no matter what it was. The absolute best is a kind email with the head CCd in though.

For nursery practitioners on a minimum wage vouchers for somewhere useful are massively appreciated or otherwise a nice card but please, no more key-rings.

but many jobs do that like nhs staff and they cannot accept gifts.

Yes we can.

Did you include a large supply of pods?
If not then I suspect it sat in a corner unused.

What a nasty reply!

I am a teacher and know very well there is a huge difference between people who get the job done and people who put their heart and soul into helping shape your child. I am very aware of the difference and would genuinely want to give a present to the ones who made a difference. The ones who just got on with the job, not so much. That’s just the truth.

Coffee gift cards to the nearby café.

Tbh I'm not very impressed this year by the teachers but of course our daughter also want to bring gifts in like her friends.
The class buy a shared gift as well.
In my opinion it's a bit to much.
Last year of primary...

Best received nursery from our stint there was always a bag of little treats - enough for one gift per nursery staff. Stuff like a nice tin of hot chocolate, a little bottle of Prosecco, mini handcreams, a couple of £5 gift cards for costa/Starbucks, box of truffles… So everyone gets something a bit different/can choose something they actually like but it doesn’t need the effort of figuring out what everyone does like!

I usually pick up on things they say throughout the year and get something related.

This year I know one teacher does lego with her dd and is a keen birdwatcher so I've got her a lego kingfisher (she has went above and beyond this year so its a bit more than I would usually spend). Another teacher lost a scarf and was upset about it as she couldn't find it again online, I've managed to track one down.

Previous years have been a particular book the teacher mentioned a lot and didn't have , sweets from a different country that the teacher was missing, lego flowers, a book nook building kit and much more (20 years of kids going to school).

I always try and get something personal (apart from the very rare occassion the teacher has been awful and they get a generic box of chocoates, only because the kids like giving gifts).

Contrary to popular opinion on this thread, I always liked a mug gift! I was given two lovely mugs by children I taught - one from my first year as an NQT, and one from my last year teaching before I decided to switch career. They are beautiful mugs, my favourite ones in the cupboard, I use them all the time, and they remind me of the lovely kids who gave them to me.

I also really appreciated a notebook as a teacher. My favourite notebook I was given was a very simple one with a plain brown cover that the little girl had decorated with my name and some lovely drawings. Other favourites - flowers picked from the garden, homemade jam, a decoration that a child had sewn herself.

I reckon most primary school teachers would also love decent books for their classroom. Nobody ever gave me books, but I would have LOVED that. School budgets are so tight. You could ask them for a classroom wishlist?

I say this as a teaching professional. Alcohol is most welcome.

Definitely mentions to head or nursery manager. And a card which makes me feel 'seen', certain specifics the parent has noticed 'She's grown so much more confident and I know you've had a lot to do with that' or things child may have told them like 'I love Miss Marigold's stories at story time' or 'I was really touched when Ella said you'd brought in ice lollies for them'.

A card and a Costa gift card last year. We don't normally do gifts for teachers, but made an exception last year because my daughter genuinely liked her and she came on leaps and bounds in her class. Plus she was genuinely open to anything we spoke to her about.

She will shortly be stopping going to the nursery/after school care she's been going to since she was 6 months old so I do want to get them something nice when she leaves as they have been a second family for her whole life.

When we've had family members in hospital or care home we have always given gifts to the staff.
I don't work in schools any more but I was a secondary teacher so therefore not as many gifts as primary but I've got a box with cards from the kids over the years and I've kept them. I can't eat chocolates or biscuits but i always appreciated the thought.

I remember when I worked in school/nursery the "gifts" were taken straight to the nearest charity shop

My SIL is a TA. My birthday is in August, I'm certain my presents are re-gifted lol

Sorry but I think giving something that can only be used if the recipients spend money is not much of a gift.

Surely there are also rules about accepting gifts like in other jobs

The rule (in our LA anyway) is that if we recieve anything over the value of £20 we have to declare it to the DSL but that doesn't mean we're not allowed to accept it. As long as you're transparent about things and there's nothing to suggest that a child/parent has received or been promised any kind of preferential treatment it doesn't need to be an issue.

When I left my last school a parent of a child with complex needs, who I'd worked really closely with and supported through a particularly traumatic event, bought me a voucher for dinner for 2 at a very nice restaurant in town. It was completely unexpected and very generous. To refuse their lovely, thoughtful gift on top of that would have felt like a rejection. I declared it, obviously.

In terms of end of year gifts, they are appreciated but certainly not expected. Over the years ive had vouchers from Amazon and Costa, stationary, wine/prosecco, chocolates, flowers, toiletries, and once a necklace from a Mum who made her own jewellery as a hobby. I agree with pp that its the cards and letters from children and families that I treasure the most. I keep all the cards and letters I've recieved from children and families over the years in a box at home and sometimes if I'm having a rough work week I'll get them out and read through them to remind myself what I do does make a difference, even though there are times when it feels like it'll never be enough.

I was thinking about this too as lots of people give the key person and school teacher / TAs something but there are staff like the nursery manager and head who may be overlooked which is why I've opted for a box of nice biscuits or hamper they can share in the past.

My mum kept (and still has) cards written by her students. She appreciated the thought behind other gifts but really didn’t need any more mugs. Edible things went down well as it didn’t add to a collection of “best teacher” stuff.

Sorry, I meant mentions of my overall wonderfulness to the Head or Manager. Our manager gets over double the gifts of everyone else! But she is the one who does all the drop offs and pick ups so they all know her very well, probably different if they're sat in a room

That makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.

It seems most people give gifts to a key person or a teacher and TA. I don't hear of people giving to the head teacher or manager.

A card made by the child I taught. A packet of Percy Pigs. A £5 Costa Token. A book token.

Best of all, a second hand copy of a book your child loves with an inscription or photo so I remember your child every time I read the book to another class in the decades to come. I spend a fair amount of my money on my class library so additions are always welcome!

My parents always gave to a gift to teacher and that was over 40 year ago. Not a new trend.