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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Just a quick question .

52 replies

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 10/06/2011 20:36

Can someone please tell me if its the norm to get yor kids form teacher a token gift to say thanks for a good year. If the answer is yea has anyone got any ideas what . I was thinking bottle of scotch or chocolates. God knows HELP > LOL

OP posts:

Hassled · 10/06/2011 21:49

I did give a potted plant to an especially nice, long suffering History teacher who taught DS1 and DD at A Level. He sent me a long, handwritten letter of thanks - presents clearly aren't flying around the place.

Original poster

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 10/06/2011 21:51

DS tutor is young and new to the school this year . I think chocs for the staff room says thank you to all the teachers ,Some he likes some not so much . LOL

OP posts:

AlfalfaMum · 10/06/2011 21:56

I think it's a very nice thought, wakeup.

I don't think a thank you gift can ever be crass, how cynical.

Jonnyfan · 10/06/2011 21:56

Of course a gift is fine! Here the year 7 tutors get loads of gifts and tutor groups often club together to buy a prezzie at end of year. Recently my sixth form made cakes and bought a flowering plant for my birthday. ( they asked months ago and wrote it in their diaries without me knowing- bless!)

Original poster

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 10/06/2011 22:00

Thank you kind ladies . I couldnt see it was wrong or crass . Just thought it would be nice .

OP posts:

Sarah159 · 10/06/2011 22:01

Do we get gifts too now?? :o

Original poster

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 10/06/2011 22:06

yes lol

OP posts:

cat64 · 10/06/2011 22:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

scurryfunge · 10/06/2011 22:23

I am amazed at the comments too. When I was teaching secondary I had plenty of gifts at various points in the year. My DS has sent the odd gift in and his class regularly clubs together for a gift for their tutor.

Now DS is finishing this year, he wants to send in a bottle of whisky.

PotteringAlong · 10/06/2011 22:24

I got 2 boxes of chocolates from 2 pupils in my year 8 tutor group at Christmas. It was my first ever present in 7 years of teaching and it made me smile for ages!

Petalouda · 10/06/2011 22:29

Ooh, a present?! A little note of appreciation would make my day. But I'm simple like that.

One of my yr11 girls gave me a card when I left for mat leave. I've worked so hard for her (tutor & subject teacher) but wasn't convinced she appreciated it. The card actually made me cry! (to be fair I was VERY tired & hormonal by then!) It was just lovely to be thanked and wished well, rather than the general teacher-bashing we get from government/media/many parents.

I'm almost looking forward to going back!

PotteringAlong · 10/06/2011 22:31

I've kept every thank you card I've ever had (7, to be exact :) )

cinpin · 10/06/2011 22:33

Not really the normal thing to do but in the past I have sent a nice thankyou card to a teacher that really helped my son out.

roisin · 10/06/2011 22:43

I get gifts and card from some yr11s when they're leaving, but they're from the kids not the parents.

We've bought bottles of wine for a few teachers who've done "above and beyond" for the boys at secondary school. We've also twice sent in large box of chocs for the staff room. I know they're appreciated. But I've not sent any of these gifts in with the boys - I've given them to the teachers personally/privately.

sillybillies · 13/06/2011 21:02

I've had my fair share of presents over the years mainly from my form class but A level kids as well and the odd GCSE student. Certainly not expected but always appreciated and its always been the kids that have given the present. I can't remember an incident when its been left in reception by the parents.
I've also worked in several types of school from private, outstanding to just failed it's ofsted and I've received presents in all.

However most appreciated is a thank-you card from the student themselves.

startail · 13/06/2011 21:16

We threw a surprise retirement party for our chemistry master. We managed to sneak in a cake and wine. (It was the end of 6th form). I still have the picture of him walking in and seeing the cake. He was smiling from ear to ear.He was normally a fairly serious chap.
He had really done his best to prepare us for our Exam at a time when some of the other staff were being grumpy after a long period of low-level industrial action.

becksharp · 13/06/2011 23:43

ma was a teacher, she often got pressies and cards at christmas and end of summer term - only stopped teaching in last few years so this is recent history. At her school (long server, and no not private) the kids were happy to give the gifts themselves. we aways took bottles of wine for our form tutors, other favoured teachers when at school but maybe ma encouraged cos she knew teaching a thankless task...

Elvisina · 13/06/2011 23:57

IME this isn't at all an unusual thing to do! I've had quite a number of lovely pressies over the years and know other colleagues get gifts too. Of course it is not expected in any way but it does happen fairly regularly. They are mostly given to form tutors and I've never seen a student be embarrassed about their parent giving a gift - on the contrary!

ellisbell · 14/06/2011 09:23

we have done this for some teachers at secondary, wouldn't do it for all. One mentioned at a parents evening that they still had a gift from years earlier so either they liked it or wondered why they didn't get another. When my children leave the school there will be presents for any teachers who have gone out of their way to be helpful. There will also be a tin of biscuits or something similar to share for some of the support staff who have been helpful.

If someone goes out of their way to help my child (in or out of school) I may give them a small gift and/or send a thank you card. Those teachers who do put in extra effort deserve to know it is appreciated. I am more likely to send a gift for staff involvement in extra-curricular activities than anything else.

It also makes me more likely to donate to the PTA but that's a different thread.

Original poster

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 14/06/2011 10:06

Im going to send the choc's in this week so they can enjoy them sooner rather than later.

OP posts:

mummytime · 14/06/2011 10:15

When I've worked in secondary we've sometimes got biscuits, cakes or chocolates and thank you letters from parents. If the school is big, then several small packets might be better than one big posh one, as there might be more than one staff room. Or give it to the department you most want to thank.

It is always nice to get a thank you, even just a card. Do teach your kids to say thank you after school trips too, it really makes a stressed out teachers day.

Jaspants · 14/06/2011 10:22

Oooh, goody, I never thought about taking it in personally rather than risking embarassing the child.

DS form tutor is a gorgeous fit PE teacher who wears shorts a lot

Original poster

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 15/06/2011 09:48

Its a big tin of quality street and I was going to drop it at reception with the card . I think my Ds is the type of kid to get embarassed . Heck Im not even allowed to go to sports day . LOL Just a thought what the heck do I put on the envelope . As in who the dickens do I address it to .

OP posts:

mumblechum1 · 15/06/2011 10:16

In yr 7 I sent in a gift (bracelet from East) for ds's form tutor as she'd been helpful.

I didn't bother after that but I do send emails of appreciation occasionally, eg a couple of years ago when ds's Maths teacher really properly explained and taught him after the previous one had been really crap and he was going downhill.

circular · 15/06/2011 13:01

In DD1's (yr9) school. they have the same form teacher throughout years 7 to 11.
They often give Xmas and Birthday gifts and cards. Also easter eggs.
Not usually end-of-year gifts, but that is quite near teachers' birthday.

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