To not understand end of year gifts for teachers?

[Threecactusplants]

That time is upon us.
My DS’s class WhatsApp ‘admin’ has asked if people want to contribute towards a voucher for the teacher - suggested donation £10 each.
AIBU but the teachers are being paid for this job, they’re not doing it voluntarily.
Okay I understand if the child is leaving/in last year or the teacher is leaving.

To be honest, I haven’t been hugely impressed this year, DS’s teacher has been quite slack and we have had very little communication. He’s been happy going to school which is the main thing but I probably would have got a small card or asked him to make one. It’s only a small class of 21 so if I don’t contribute it’ll be obvious.

Yes I agree with you, it's werid isn't it?! Lots of people work in minimum wage jobs and they don't get presents from their customers/ clients!
I used to buy a bar of chocolate for my kids teachers if, they the kids wanted to. They didn't want to for some of them, so I didn't always gift something. The last few years of primary school, some parents wanted to conduct collections for them! I wasn't working at the time and was a bit annoyed by it all! I didn't participate in those, just ignored those requests. I advise you to ignore them, if you want to buy a chocolate bar for your child to gift then that's up to you and your child. Anything more than that is crazy 🤪

Jeezus, what is the world coming to?!?

I work in this area. Your school has misinterpreted the Bribery Act. It is an offence for employees to accept gifts in return for doing / not doing something, or giving preferential treatment in return for the gift.

So, if Jane’s mum approaches her English teacher and says “here is an £1000 gift card, given on the understanding that you will give Jane top grades next year”, the English teacher would not be able to accept that, because it is bribery. Jane’s mum gifting a tin of biscuits with no intention of influencing the teacher to perform her job improperly, that’s not bribery.

Schools may have internal policies like declaring gifts that are over a specific value but it is a shame (and overkill) to have a blanket policy of no gifts at all.

Clearly people do not understand how grades are moderated so no child can be given better grades for a box of Milk Tray! 😂

Then do that

Lots of people in lots of jobs get presents. Nothing crazy about it. Fine if you don't want to do that, but it doesn't make other people crazy for doing it.

DM's friend was a secretary at a school until she retired last year. Any alcohol which the teachers didn't want, became raffle or tombola at the Christmas craft fair that school held. During 2020 and 2021, no craft fair was done but still did a raffle.

Also, a request. Teachers do not want to know about cheap n nasty wines. Think Three Mills, Penguin Sands, Nice Drop etc. Paying just another £1.50 more and get better wines.

Ive worked in education, as a teacher and manager, for 20 years. This is not a safeguarding issue.

A card made from finger prints and dried pasta coupled with a book token is hardly the same as Tony Blair being gifted a holiday in the Bahamas.

I’m a HCP and have never been allowed in any workplace to accept gifts from patients/ relatives. Okay to have a box of chocolates or a tin of biscuits for staff to share, but nothing individual. I’ve always wondered why teachers are not subject to the same rules.

Its not: but where do you draw the line?

And why do pupils give teachers book tokens?. Surely it's the teachers job to teach the pupils to read and encourage a love of reading in them? It's not the job of the pupils to teach their teachers how to read and love books.

The whole thing is ridiculous.

I'm not a teacher myself but my father was a teacher and then headmaster of a primary school. Certainly in his day there was no gift giving to teachers. And actually as his school was in quite a poor area there wasn't the money to waste on giving gifts to professionals who were being paid to do their job.

I was a class rep so I organised the collection every year. Lots of people contributed but some didn't. If you don't want to then don't.
I always felt it was a nice thing to do

I never contributed to gifts for teachers. I've always thought it a bit strange, people who work for NHS aren't allowed to accept a gift above a certain amount. If a whole class contributes £10 it could be a £300 gift which is insane. A card, written by the child should be enough.

I feel huge gratitude for what the teachers at my sons school have done to help him. He has SEN and most of them go over and above for him. I always give more to the TAs collection because as far as I’m concerned, they earn a pittance for the work they put in. They usually get bought vouchers so they can decide what they’d like to treat themselves too.

Why does it bother you so much? If you don't want to contribute, don't. Its no skin off anyone else's nose.

Teachers don’t expect gifts.

Anyone receiving a gift in any role is grateful.

The midwife you delivered your baby gets paid but many get a thankyou.

Teachers and TAs.

council workers (eg bin men/woman)

postmen and woman.

Gifting is optional and there’s rule for you to understand why it’s done. It’s up to you decide if it’s something you want to do or not 🤷‍♀️

I belirve they meant "money", not honey.

I believe they meant "money", not "honey".

Only giving for the final year really gets my goat. Give to teacher you think have made a difference and got your child.

I worked in a school where the culture was to celebrate the 'end' and I saw year 6 teachers leaving with masses of stuff- whilst the ones lower down the school got jack all.

All staff get them to the end of the journey.

I got presents from my class back in the 90s. It's not a new thing.

Moving to a naece school in a very middle class area saw parents competing. One year, 2 parental groups formed in my class trying to organise mine and my TAs present. It got ridiculous. I had a £200 shopping voucher from one group, and £150 from the other. I asked the head if I should declare it, and the governors told me to enjoy it.

So I put both vouchers together, and sent photos to the children of the experience I enjoyed because of their kind gift.

The next year, and all subsequent years at that school, I sent a letter to parents on day 1 of term 6 telling them I loved the generous spirit of the school community, that meaningful words meant more to me than physical gifts and if they really wanted to give me something, nothing would bring me more joy than a letter from their child. If they were looking to buy me a present, please bring a donation for the local foodbank to school.

The last 2 weeks of term saw the food pile grow bigger. The classes learned a valuable lesson about charity. And I got some really lovely poems, letters and even a cd of a child singing a song about how much they'd miss me to keep forever.

However, my own children were gutted that the chocolate train ended that year.

So just don't contribute @Threecactusplants Don't allow the parent group to put that pressure on you. There are much better ways to show appreciation if you want to, imo. Sticking £10 in a collection is the lazy way to do it and you can tell that group of parents I said so! 🤣

There’s always going to be people that gossip anywhere and everywhere.

If someone has an issue over what you do or don’t do that is their problem and they can be ignored.

Sorry are you saying I shouldnt contribute to the thread?
I put on a post in answer to OP and I've replied to other posters that have quoted what I've said. Which im entitled to do on a public forum.

And yes giving gifts to teachers does bother me because it compromises their professionalism and it's yet another wedge between the " haves" who can afford performative gift giving to their children's teacher and then " have - nots" who can't afford to buy gifts.

I’m a teacher. I don’t expect gifts but have received many over the years. Most years I also get a voucher. One year when there was no TA working with my class I received nearly £300.

There is obligation to give a gift and the most treasured things I receive are cards and notes (I keep them all!)

HOWEVER…you must be aware that the class teacher will have spent at least £10 on your child through the course of a year. Budgets are crap and teachers often buy things themselves.

Some of the things I have bought this academic year:
xmas gifts (£1.50 per pupil)
creme eggs each at Easter
end of year gifts (£1 each plus HOURS of time making part of it)
ingredients for baking bread
yeast for science
beads and straws for an art project
white card
stickers, colouring books and board games for wet play
gel pens
anti bacterial spray every few weeks
air freshener
prizes for the prize box (sweets, biscuits, raisins, small toys)
laminating pouches
plastic wallets
sharpies
felt tips
cereal bars for the kids that don’t get fed at home
bottles of water for the kids that never have them
teddy bear for a pupil who was very poorly in hospital
blu tack
sand
fidget toys
books for the class library
glue sticks

Not all teachers do the same, but many many many will be buying similar for their own classes.

I was a Secondary teacher and was very touched to receive small presents and cards. I kept all the cards and letters. I was given a class gift when I got married. It brought tears to my eyes. I worked mostly in deprived areas and was genuinely very grateful to receive the cards as I knew how my families struggled. It made me feel as if I was actually doing some good.

After having time off when the children were little. I went on a return to teaching course. I was the only secondary teacher and ended up with a Primary Qualification as well. I was genuinely shocked to get vouchers and gifts in Primary. I missed the hand made cards and packet of ginger nuts!

I used the vouchers to buy equipment for my classroom and would a write thank you to each child with a photo of what equipment or books I had received. I actually had labels printed saying a gift from Y5 with the year it was given. Sometimes, I would add all the childrens names. No idea if they contibuted or note.Class dictionaries, appropriate books for the class library, a microscope etc.
Younger diblings were delighted to see thrir older sibling name on the items.

When we moved on with my husband's postings I would leave all 'presents' gor the school.

Seemingly, I upset some parents by doing so.

Teachers don't expect presents but everybody likes to be appreciated. A handmade card is always appreciated.

No need to contribute if you don't want to.