Affordable teacher gift ideas for end of year

[FunGirlMum]

Hi,
I know I've left it late, but has anyone got any good, reasonably priced, ideas for teacher end of year gifts please?

I've bought bits in the past, but they turn up and always look a bit cheap. I've looking for something that looks great, but doesn't cost the earth.

Thanks

Bake a cake?
Pick some flowers, if you have a garden.
A basket of cookies.
A pretty handkerchief.
A framed hand painted picture from your child?

I love a plant or seeds for the garden. I have never thrown away a gift to a charity shop and really appreciate everything (am secondary). I also have every card from 25 years teaching.

I always sent my children with a box of stationery as an end of term gift. A bunch of glue sticks, fancy post it notes, sheets of star stickers, colourful paper clips, highlighters, whiteboard pens, packets of blue tac etc etc.

It was always very very well received. Most primary teachers spend from their own pocket on stationery for their classrooms.

Unless your child is the next picasso, and even then, please no framed artwork. What the hell would we do with it?!

Stationery, wine (can be regifted if not drunk), a small nice smelly thing over a shitload of cheaper ones.

Gifts that mean the most are ones related to your own interest/quirks, which suggest the child might actually have listened to you at some point in the year.

My best gift ever: an absolutely hideous homemade nac mac feegle, complete with a note in feegle writing, from a child i had introduced to the discworld.

There is no generic perfect gift!!

My DC have left school now, but we always gave a card with a couple of lottery tickets inside. If the teacher won some cash...great! If not the tickets could be thrown away...no leftover clutter.

This website has some really good value teacher gifts!

www.personalisedgiftsshop.co.uk

Too much pressure financially. Should be stopped.

Booze and snacks. B&M do mini bottles of Opihr gin (the nice bottles with elephants on) for about £4, so I’d bung one of those in a gift bag with some posh cookies/nuts/chocolate.

I taught secondary so hardly ever got gifts, but for primary teachers, please no to mugs, especially personalised, or framed prints like the ones linked.

Sorry to be blunt but it's unlikely to be something the teacher will like and there are always far too many mugs in primary schools. Secondary for some reason is a different matter.

Just get your DC to write a card. And email the teacher CCing the head.

Or buy a tub of chocs for the staffroom a few days before the end of term. That always went down very well in secondary.

I like getting gifts as a teacher, but I agree it should really be something you know they like. I plant the seed early in the school year with my students to say I like chocolate so that they’ll tell their parents

Even mugs, I put them in the staff room and use them regularly, and think of that student when I do.

Basic stationery wouldn’t help me much since our school provides all that we need. Some fancy pens for marking would please me, or good strong whiteboard magnets.

I have to say that in the end, it’s the heartfelt notes that I keep and cherish. I keep them in a folder and get them out and read them when I’m having a bad day.

Gift cards are fab. A £5 voucher for Costa coffee is a treat for me! I’d say avoid inscribed gifts and anything that mentions us being a teacher!

All these linked gifts are awful 🙈

Letters or cards please.

Please just give us a nice letter email or card and even better if you copy in our boss.

put this on another thread, but I've just said goodbye to some kids I've known for a very long time and they're lovely letters card and emails, especially from their parents made me cry with love and gratitude. We do not need a gift.

Here's a bit from one

"We as a family can't thank you enough for all the hard work, dedication, and kindness*

there. So much better than the shitty candle

My situation is a little different as my son is in a SEN unit with a main teacher but lots of TA and fluid input from other staff so it’s difficult to buy a present as it’s not just for one.

From my MIL being a teacher I know that they do spend time in school over the holidays so on the Monday of the final week I make up a “coffee and biscuits” hamper.

massive jar of good instant coffee (they have no machine there)
Box of good teabags
Two tins of luxury hot chocolate (as each tin only does a few cups)
caramel syrup
two selection boxes of border’s biscuits
two boxes of shortbread
and a cake.

I also make a big batch of Scottish tablet for them all and individually wrap the bags.

apparently goes down a treat as they rarely get hot drinks when the kids are in.

Look on Vinted! Some lovely gifts on there.

about 15 of us have clubbed together and will get the teacher and TA’s a voucher for m&s or a nice coffee shop.

Retiring headteacher here! Yes to a Costa or M&S voucher or a plant. I would also suggest glue sticks for a primary teacher ( that’s what I’ve bought my staff as a jokey present!) Wine and chocolates are subjective but usually appreciated by most. As others have said though, a personal card means the most.

I am going to do a bag with pritt sticks, felt tips, pencils etc as class supplies are low!! (Nd they have same teacher next year)
At Christmas my child (yr1) told me a story of an argument between 2 children over pencils and erasers- so I bought chocolate pencils, chocolate erasers and a pack of personalised pencils for the teacher

The things I’ve kept over the years have been hand made cards and notes. The ones where the parent or child has written something that helps remind me why I continue to do the job during the tough times!

You have to be careful with this though or, at least where I am, it has to be declared as a gift through the county council because it can trigger some corruption rules!

Some schools don’t allow teachers to accept these. A primary near me sends out a reminder each year that teachers can’t accept anything worth more than £10. I think it was after some rather extravagant class gifts and some parents feeling pressured to contribute.

Absolutely nothing please. If you’re determined to spend money, a generic voucher.

Glue sticks! How is that a gift for the teacher? If you can't provide the resources, agitate for better funding. I would absolutely hate that gift.