Whole class teacher gift

[Jessgirl44]

Hi all, one of the parents in class chat has volunteered to collect an amount from each parent to buy Xmas gift for teacher. But half of the parents haven’t responded so far to this. I am confused what I should do; what would you do ? Would you contribute or not contribute and buy your own gift ?

It's the best way to do it imo, but it needs to be organised by a class rep/PTA person so it's 'official' rather then just one parent doing it off their own back.

Is there any kind of parent committee type thing that organises this stuff?

No,

A pta representative is there but this parent has suggested this and volunteered to collect the amount

A small group of us regularly do this. No class reps we offer it out and the names of those who contribute go on the card of thanks at the end of term. I never get Christmas stuff I think it's unnecessary and the teachers I know dislike it.

So what about other parents, do they give individual gifts ?

We always do this but it's the PTA rep who organises and collects. I prefer it, so much easier and nicer for the teacher to get a decent size voucher than lots of chocs etc. All the parents contribute and there's never been any issue. But the money is all paid in the rep's personal account not the PTA bank account so I can see that some parents might be wary - if they had debt issues or banking problems it might mean the money becomes inaccessible.

It's a slippery slope to carnage!

Someone did this when DS was in reception, and we all thought it was a lovely idea.

Some bright spark then suggested another donation for the lady who originally suggested it.

That year, a mum out the money in, not realising that the dad already had, wanted her money back, but the original organiser had spent it already.

Save yourself, say you've already bought a gift.

We do this, and it's not the class rep or anything, just the person who blinks first.

It is almost always Megan and I could not be more grateful. The teacher and TA get a useful amount of money on a John Lewis card, nothing is wasted, and regardless who gives or how much it is given "from the children of X class".

But half of the parents didn’t respond so I think they are not too keen to be part of it ??

It's November, so some perhaps aren't seeing the urgency yet. More organised probably have sorted their own gift whereas the rest perhaps can't afford to contribute. I personally would contribute as I think group gifts are the best idea. Suggest the organiser publishes a deadline and buys a gift voucher for the amount donated.

We've always done this. Someone volunteers. The teacher gets a decent gift instead of loads of shite

We do this at the end of the year and have never had any problems. Not everyone contributes and that is fine. Noone cares either way.
It's not the class rep or anything that collects. Usually just one of the mums who is more organised than the rest of us.
It's usually split between the TA and clas teacher and saves me going shopping and having no idea what to buy. It saves the teacher getting 30 mugs or pens.

Teachers have to declare amounts over £25 and there’s a lot of paperwork involved.

Give a donation to the class book shelf - or games for wet play or toys for the playground.

Why does it matter to you? If you want to take part in the collection then do..if you don’t then don’t. For the record, I’m a reception teacher and do not expect any gifts at all so if you don’t want to get anything at all that’s also fine!! If it helps you make a decision, last Christmas some of my class did a collection, some sent in chocolate some just sent a card. I appreciated all of them and didn’t think anything about who had and hadn’t done the collection!

I never wanted to do a whole class gift. I think it's awkward. Who is going to hand it over? Are all of the children going to be involved in it?

For me, a present for a teacher is about my child choosing something, making a card and taking it in excitedly.

I would respond though and say I wasn't doing it.

This also pressures people into buying a present when they weren't going to.

I am a teacher. I don't want Christmas presents from the children I teach. Well, I like a pasta necklace or something.

Always chip in for group gift

This way the teacher can have a decent gift / voucher rather than 30 bottles of wine

They might not have responded yet as it’s not pay day until next week , and they can’t afford to put in until then , but would prefer not to announce on the group chat that they are brassic

I personally prefer a collection and am happy for someone else to sort a present, if they've offered. It doesn't matter if not all of the kids contribute - the collector will just sign the card from the kids who did.

We've bought some lovely gifts for teachers through collections in DS's class - afternoon teas and John Lewis vouchers etc. Those fivers soon add up.

On the other hand, if you'd rather buy something personal, go for it, OP.

Whatever works best for you, really.

Declaration will depend on school policy and at my current school I believe they make an exception for group gifts.

To OP - as a teacher, the gift I most appreciate is a thoughtful card. And if you’re going to give something, unless you know the teacher really well and know what they like, a contribution to a class voucher is something a teacher will likely enjoy more than other potential gifts.

The class gift can be fraught with difficulties.
Does the person who volunteered also have a sideline business that they plan to buy the gifts through and so profit themselves?! Not unknown. How do you know that all the money has been spent on the gift(s)?

As pp said, school employees have to declare gifts over a certain value, so doing this could create an issue for the recipient.

Where are the teaching assistants in this? Different people have different ideas on this. As a teacher, I would be horrified and embarrassed to receive an expensive gift anyway, but more so especially if the other people working in the classroom (who work equally hard and are paid significantly less) got an obviously lesser gift or none at all.

The best gift, as is frequently repeated on here, is the card with a note of appreciation and your on-going support for your child's education.

If you want to contribute do
If you'd prefer to do your own - do that
If you'd rather not give at all - you don't have to.

I usually just do my own thing and buy a little gift myself.

I know the teachers at our Primary don't have to declare a gift, especially if it's vouchers from a group collection. An expensive voucher from one child can be looked upon negatively but many families giving £5 is viewed very differently.

It's a nice thought but I'd rather have a card with a note written by your dc wishing me Merry Christmas or a picture or a note from parent saying something that has been appreciated. Nothing else required.

We usually, with the funds collected from us by the class rep, got a voucher usable in a nice shopping centre near the school.
Lots of choice for the teacher then.

My dc are older now.

This is not true. I have never heard of this, have been a teacher for 25 years and taught in many different schools.