Are we meant to buy for Teachers & TA’s?

[Essexmate]

Eldest has started school so this is my first experience and I’m not clued up on school etiquette! Are we meant to buy xmas gifts for the teachers? What about the TA’s? What on earth do I buy??

No you don't have to. If you want to you can. Most people go for something consumable like chocolate, or a voucher.

Teacher here: no expectation whatsoever! I love a hand made card. The best thing I ever got given was a hand made book mark

No obligation to buy anything. A card with a sincere message would be lovely.

Presents are not required but are nice, talk to other parents, gifts are often from the parents rather than individual.

DO NOT give 'world's best teacher' mugs.

Most teachers would appreciate a card

Imagine you are a teacher or a TA. Would you really want, look forward to and expect 30 items made up of boxes of chocolates, bottles of wine and 'world's best teacher' tat twice a year (because lets face it, it's not just Christmas, it's end of school year too), every year for the rest of your career?

No-one wants that, so it's probably a relief if most people don't do that. Any time anyone asks this question, teachers always say a nice card is all they want.

I'm sure that vouchers go down well too. People don't seem to like collections, but I can't see what's wrong with doing an optional class collection, where the amount donated is private and up to the individual, with maybe a suggested donation of a pound or two to make it clear that people are not expected to donate large sums of money.

The collection can then be used to buy a single gift of the flowers/chocolate/wine variety plus a voucher for somewhere appropriate like M&S if there's one local.

No

DO NOT give 'world's best teacher' mugs.
Actually, these are quite useful if donated to the Staffroom.

You don't need to get anything, as others have said, a sincere card with a message is treasured. Not everyone eats chocolate but I used to keep mine in my Classroom cupboard for that 'Hangry' hour after the children have left for the day. Flowers are nice but some teachers go away on holiday as soon as the holidays start.

I never worked anywhere where parents did a collection and I would have really hated it if I felt parents were being coerced into handing over money. £5, £10, £20 might not seem much to some but it is a lot to others - even those who seem to be Ok but are just about keeping up appearances.

The Christmassy tins of biscuits can be shared in the Staffroom and are not too expensive.

Another teacher here. A card with a heartfelt message of thanks is worth a million boxes of chocolates or mugs!

Although once a child gave me a card with a Twix in the envelope which was the best of both!

Just a card thanks. Anything else is a nuisance to deal with.

At DD1 school some parent normally organises a class collection, with a suggested donation of £5 but some people give more, and this is used to buy voucher/flowers for the 3 staff. I always send each member of staff a Christmas card explaining exactly why I appreciate them, what DD1 has learnt or has surprised me and try to include a funny story that DD has shared about school.

Any time anyone asks this question, teachers always say a nice card is all they want.

This //\

Every teacher, TA or member of school staff i've ever worked with loves the cards, pictures or a supportive message to the headteacher.

End of year gifts are a thing but Christmas gifts in our school are unheard of.

@PurpleDaisies

Just a card thanks. Anything else is a nuisance to deal with.

So a voucher for m&s, Costa etc.... are a nuisance to deal with?

Wow I want to live in your world if that's a nuisance!

Vouchers are awkward because the person getting it can see how much you spent. Unless it’s a fiver or more, it’s not really worth it. In the schools I’ve mainly worked in, that’s a lot for the parents.

I’ve accepted every present with smiles and thanks but I really don’t like getting them.

I'm a former teacher and completely agree that a card is the best present. I tend to give a coffee voucher, too, but avoid mugs/toiletries/stationery cos I know they will end up in a charity shop.

The only "rule" I give myself is that TAs get the same as the teacher. I think they are often forgotten in gift/card-giving and they work incredibly hard for a pittance.

Im a teacher (part time, day off today!). I never expect any presents but appreciate cards, particularly those written by children themselves, and small token gifts are lovely. Basically it's up to you.

I'd say not even a card if money is tight but just a kind word of thanks and have a lovely Christmas at the end of term.
Honestly, we don't keep check of who does or doesn't buy us a gift or a card but a sincere thank you means a lot, especially at the moment

TA here - we don't expect anything! A Costa gift card/similar would be very much appreciated but definitely not expected. I love handmade cards from my little ones!

Mugs sound great but in reality we have to use screw top travel mugs like Contigo for safety. One of these would go down well in my school as we never have enough in the cupboard.

I never gave anything to any of my DSs' teachers.

@PurpleDaisies

Vouchers are awkward because the person getting it can see how much you spent. Unless it’s a fiver or more, it’s not really worth it. In the schools I’ve mainly worked in, that’s a lot for the parents.

I’ve accepted every present with smiles and thanks but I really don’t like getting them.

Which is why I think that a collection towards a joint voucher is a better solution.

If the collection is optional with a suggested donation of a pound or two, you can get a worthwhile value voucher from the whole class and no-one knows how much anyone has given, or if they have donated at all.

Teacher here and there's no obligation at all. I don't know any teachers who expect gifts.

Cards are appreciated. I've got a folder where I've kept all my thank you cards over the years. They bring back fond memories of different students and classes.

When I do send gifts, I tend to send a small hamper of staffroom-friendly snacks in towards the start of December that a few of us contributed towards.

Depends - our school gives something to everyone - they have an online donation page. But our old school me and my kids used to make fudge or peppermint creams and put them in little cellophane bags with a ribbon. But generally we gave something at the end of the year, not then and Christmas.
In secondary you don't do this at all (only very select teachers).
I'm sure a handmade card would be appreciated just as much.

No, you really really don't need to buy presents for teachers. They don't expect it and I'm sure most people who do give presents only really do it because they feel like they're supposed to.

I'm a teacher and have only given presents a couple of times (a goodbye and thankbyiu gift when my dc left the school, having had their wonderful class teacher for several years).