Amazing end-of-year present for a primary school teacher

[Bonsoir]

We are looking for inspiration for DD's class teacher, who is unanimously seen as a star. Collective gift, we will raise lots of money. We don't want to give vouchers. What do teachers want?

Last time a mum decided to do a collection for a teacher, she requested £10 from everyone. I told her I couldn't afford £10 and was told in no uncertain terms that I would not be allowed to sign the card.

I ended up buying her some flowers from Sainsburys for £4 and DS made her a beautiful card. It's not about the money. At least, it shouldn't be.

£25 per family?!? Fucking hell. DS1 starts school in Sept, this is yet another thing to go on the list of stuff that makes me go . My mum used to get endless mugs, candles, chocs, etc etc. it was always the personalised handmade stuff she liked the best though so that's my plan.

Another stylish lamp

or perhaps this one?

Something classy from Swarovski

Is it just me or is it a bit odd to collect £25(!!!) at the beginning of the year to buy thank you presents for a teacher who hasn't actually done anything yet? What ifthey then turn out to be shit, can you ask for a refund?

As a teacher I love to get vouchers.

So if you have 3 DC's in different classes you would be required to contribute £75 !!!!
Cannot believe it ,

Did we bollocks, just trying to out boast people.

Love it Cut!

Last time a mum decided to do a collection for a teacher, she requested £10 from everyone. I told her I couldn't afford £10 and was told in no uncertain terms that I would not be allowed to sign the card.

Spare us from the school mum mafia.

Did the OP come back and say what had inspired her?

45€ on a bottle of perfume for a teacher???

Bloody hell, I don't spend that on my mother

Dd's teacher is a Justin beiber (sp) fan so we got her a dancing Justin beaver toy for Christmas

Very cheap but personal to her and she loved it

Ds had a wonderful teacher who was retiring. He had told the class that he had always wanted one particular thing as a child but had never got it.

So the class, not the mums, decided as a group that is what they would get.

He became completely choked up.

But why not tickets to the opera or dance?

A 'dancing Justin beaver toy'???

What sort of teachers do your kids have!

bieber. Hopefully

Wouldbe, yes. Just give cash op.

zigaze

Very good ones

The Justin beiber thing was an ongoing joke in the class and it was a continuation of that

Yes the beaver is naff, we all know that but it showed some thought rather than a generic box of chocs or 45€ bottle of perfume

Bloody hell, £25? When we did a class collection at the end of last year, the average contribution was £2 or £3 and we considered the woman who gave a tenner insanely generous. With twenty five or thirty children in a class, that's still plenty of money for a nice present.

I've not read all of the posts. I'd get something gorgeous from john lewis and slip the gift receipt in the card.

A Tiffany necklace would be amazing!

But (as a teacher here) let me just reassure other posters, we don't normally get anything other than a few boxes of chocs and some toiletries :) (all very gratefully received)

I would say though, this type of thread always winds me up. The old 'they get paid don't they' etc. Well, so do hairdressers, and you willingly tip them a fiver every time you go?? So that's £20 a year and all they did was cut your hair!

A teacher is educating your child. Surely that's not too much to begrudge a present being bought?

(I might just add though, the best presents are always the hand-written cards. I absolutely love them, and keep them in my drawer at home.)

Our yearly contribution for my DDs' classes is around £25-£30. This buys gifts at Christmas, Easter and the end of the year. It buys for the form teacher and other specialist staff and also covers other gifts for babies born to fellow mums/gifts for fellow parents (and staff) if they fall ill and also our contributions for the school fair. One easy payment and the class reps sort out all the purchasing, wrapping, card buying and other things I couldn't be bothered and don't have time to do personally!!

As a teacher myself, I appreciate a gift from people but don't expect one! In all honesty, chocolates/smelly stuff usually gets shared with my family or given away (there are only so many biscuits/chocolates/sweets one person can eat!) and the most appreciated gifts have been handmade cards or cards written by the children themselves. I also like receiving plants...I have some incredible orchids and a rose in my garden which was given to me by a student a few years ago. Think of the kids each time I look at these...the gift that keeps on giving!!

Lovely champagne never goes astray either, but not everyone drinks alcohol so best to check before splurging on a fab bottle.

OP - this teacher will appreciate that as parents you obviously appreciate what she does for your children, whatever you decide to give her. Whatever a gift is, teachers do appreciate that someone has made the effort to thank us personally for what they feel we have done for their children.

How about a voucher to get her car MOT'd at the local KwikFit?

Or something equally as useful?

What a completely fucking bonkers world you live in.

Thank you for the reassuring words from teachers.

We are going to have a discussion among the parents, to include various suggestions from this thread and others.

FWIW I also think teachers get a raw deal compared with hairdressers and deserve more than token gratitude when they have really gone out of their way to do a great job.