"this is IT" ( to coin a phrase) the all time ULTIMATE END OF TERM PRESENT for TEACHERS thread

[Simples]

put them ALL here
no shirking

PULL that skirt down and no pushing.

My dd was hacked off with her teacher at Christmas time as she used her own money to buy her a lovely box of chocs. The teacher opened them, had one and then divved them up round the class. Dd kept saying "but they were for her not a class present".

I usually buy boxes of shortbread.

I gave each nursery teacher a £20 gift voucher from M&S, mainly because they are paid next to nothing and they really appreciated it. There were 5 of them so it cost me a fortune, but they were fantastic and I could hardly believe how some of the other parents talked to them: they were shockingly rude for no good reason except that they are deeply unpleasant and stupid people. Why be rude to the people who look after your children? I don't get it. The PTA used to do a collection at the nursery but the teachers all ended up with around £4 each. I thought that was shocking. Now DS is at school, I only have one teacher buy for and she is lovely. DS gave her a card he made and a nice candle for Christmas. I would never buy something for a really crappy teacher.

so the "books for the class" idea that was mooted yesterday is not A Good Thing then?

It's a social minefield this present giving isn't it?

I'm going to buy my son's key worker at nursery something special. Not sure what. Last year my ds1 (she was his key worker too) insisted on buying her a bracelet in Accessorise, which was quite nice. Maybe I'll give her some House of Fraser vouchers this year so she can go and get herself something.

I'll do a big box of chocolates for the other staff.

I'm going to cry on his last day....

I feel so grateful to my ds's key worker. She's just .... lovely. (She's called 'Jolly' by the way - you couldn't ask for a better name for a nursery nurse could you?)

As an alternative to chocs, some lovely soap and possibly hand cream (molton brown?) is a good present for a group of nursery/creche staff - they wash their hands all the time (hopefully ) so having something a bit more indulgent than the basic sanitizer stuff should be a nice change....

Afraid I am guilty of collection for our nursery teachers, they will be getting £100 Selfridges voucher each - is that really so bad ?

I have bought my son's teachers (he has 2), TAs (another 2) and the floating TA a nice bottle of wine each - used that offer Tesco have for 6 x £6 bottles of wine, less 25% plus 150 extra points per bottle (£36 in clubcard deals).

I'm also giving his main teacher a WH Smith voucher as I know she buys a lot of stuff for the class herself without any reimbursement from the school and she is a truly fantastic teacher ! It's then up to her whether she treats herself to some holiday reading or spends it on the class.

'I mostly certainly have NOT specified an amount, I think that is rude. £2 to someone may be worth more than £20 to someone else.

I'm a rep too and we don't specify an amount, either. I think that's rude.

We usually get John Lewis vouchers and a plant. If they're going on holiday they can buy a new swimming costume or bag or something at JL. If they're staying home they can spend it on champagne at Waitrose.

am truly at some of these things

just give them a card! are you all squillionnaires?

I got a world vision present (meal for 70 children) so that just comes as a card. then I wrote in the card (DS's nursery teacher has made a huge effort to help him) and DS drew a picture.

only downside to the charity present option is that some people don't agree with it and think the giver is a bit sanctimonious. hope DS's teacher didn't think this about me

I got a 3 pack of incredibly small g-string pants. Never knew what to make of that! I hoped the parent had made a mistake and thought they were hankys or something. The alternative was just too wierd!

No you don't have to. I second everything said above. A genuine thank you note inside a card is lovely.

Riven send a thank you note if you think it's deserved don't get dragged into the buying for all ... speaking as a teacher not a parent.

..........sigh.

I must be a crap teacher.

riven - send a thankyou card if you feel that the teacher and/or the 1 to 1 have put in a lot of effort and you are grateful for it. If not, then no need!

As class rep for the DTs nursery class, we are doing a collection. At Christmas we divided up the money and bought all 4 members of staff M&S vouchers. This time, as we know they all live locally, we're going to get them vouchers for a local beauty salon so they can all have some well-earned pampering during the holidays. They have done a fantastic job.

In DD1's class, the reps are doing a collection and will probably buy vouchers, but DD1 wants to do something herself, so will make a card for the teacher and TA and maybe some brownies or something similar. She has been extremely happy this year and made fantastic progress so we want to acknowledge this in a more specific way than just in the joint card.

We never specify an amount for the collection, people give what they can afford.

I work at a school where many if not most of the parents are wealthy. I've had leather filofaxes, pricey costume jewellery and silk pashminas (all very much appreciated, I hasten to add) However, the nicest present I ever got was from one mum (one of the less rich ones) who gave me a bunch of flowers she'd picked from her garden, all carefully wrapped up with a ribbon. There's just something about flowers. Another year I got one of those orchids in a pot which was lovely.

But I honestly don't expect or need a prezzie. It worries me that mums are worrying about it!

You are right Earth pixie, you are right.

I get a bit when some colleagues of mine (I'm a primary teacher) lord it on the last day of term, showing off their lovely presents. I work in a private school in a very affluent area so you wouldn't believe some of the gifts. (designer handbags, jewellery etc.)
Some of the staff truly deserve all they get and I know they're fantastic teachers. Others, however, are, quite frankly, rubbish and don't do any more than they have to for their classes. Why do they always seem to be the ones with the biggest gifts? Do the parents of the kids in their classes think they did a great job or is it a competition? I hope I don't sound bitter, but I think the token of appreciation should be just that and not something you feel you have to do to compete with the other Mums.
My all time favourite present was a beautifully wrapped box of homemade gingerbread Christmas tree decorations, made by the most boisterous, boyish boy in the class. His Mum told me he spent ages making them!

I give wine and vouchers for the lovely girls in DCs nursery and nothing to the teachers. They are well paid and I have not been particularly impressed with any of them.

Best present I ever got was a thank you card from a Mum with learning difficulties who was very shy and nervous about her literacy skills. It would have taken her ages to write, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried when I read it.

I'm not a fan of the present-giving culture. I think schools are teams of staff and it really makes me when some (very few) parents use it as points scoring ie. I like you, I don't like you.

It's wonderful when parents and children take the time to write down a thank you, or come up to you at the end of the last day and let you know you're appreciated. Yes, I'm aware that I have a decently paid job, but it's nice to know that some people recognise that for most teachers & TAs it's a vocation, not just a job and most of us put in hours and hours of work.

P.S. I hate to say it, but any boxes of chocs go to my Nan's care home - if I had them at home, they'd be eaten within 2 days max

I'm a TA... I got a make up bag stuffed with samples of Clarins and Dior with a little bottle of wine and a box of 4 handmade chocs from 3 girls who's mums had got together... I loved it!! (the samples would have been free but the effort was priceless!)

By crocdundee; "I'm not a fan of the present-giving culture. I think schools are teams of staff and it really makes me angry when some (very few) parents use it as points scoring ie. I like you, I don't like you."

But I want to give DS's teacher a gift because she's been fantastic, and I very much don't want to give DD's teacher a gift because she has shouted and yelled all year and eroded DD's confidence utterly. What do I do then?

Presents are fantastic, who doesn't like to receive a present as a token of appreciation, but cards with a thoughtful thank you are also lovely and make the hard work worth it, home made things are really considerate.

It all works, do what you want to, can afford and the children are happy with, then everyone is happy.

Don't spend ages worrying about it, no grudge will be held if you don't get a present, yes the teacher will remember really special or thoughtful presents even many years later, yes they will think fondly of your family, no they won't make a list of those that didn't get anything!

I did a collection among the parents in DD's class. I started very early (just after the Easter break), put no pressure on anyone for anything, and by the end of term had collected 450 euros for the teacher and 150 for the children's dinner lady. I bought vouchers.