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MNHQ

Roll up, roll up to find out what MNers told us about buying end-of-year presents for teachers

35 replies

RowanMumsnet · 05/07/2017 10:52

Hello

Some of you may remember filling out a survey for us on teachers' presents a while back - and we're announcing the results today.

Over 1000 of you took the survey, and you told us...

...you spend an average of £10.60 on end-of-year presents for primary school teachers, with one in ten forking out £25 or more.
....8% of you don’t buy teachers presents, because you don’t think it’s necessary; 4% of you believe their salary is reward enough.
...The most popular end-of-year gifts are chocolates (bought by 23%), vouchers (17%), alcohol (16%), homemade gifts made by the child (13%) and flowers (9%).

65% of you say you give presents because you like to show appreciation, and nearly eight out of ten (79%) say your child enjoys giving their teacher a gift. But when it comes to guessing what drives other parents to buy, a cynical 45% of you believe that some enjoy the one-up(wo)manship of buying the best present.

8% of you buy presents simply because you don’t want to look mean, and one in eight (12%) have felt pressured to contribute more than you've budgeted to a class collection. 39% of you club together for a class collection while 44% prefer to go it alone.

If you're gearing up for the end-of-year booze-n-chocs gifting bonanza, you can see some suggestions here - and you can see coverage of our survey here, here and here.

Let us know what you think - and feel free to tell us tear-jerking tales about farewell presents to amazing teachers. (If you're a teacher, feel free to tell us tear-jerking tales about the best/worst gifts you've been given.)

Go forth and gift! (Or don't, it's totally up to you.)

MNHQ x

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pinkunicornsarefluffy · 05/07/2017 12:21

I have given one teacher some lovely Willow Tree figures because she was fantastic and DD had her for two years. This year's teacher won't be getting anything as DD doesn't like her and she has been quite mean to DD. We don't give presents for the sake of it.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 05/07/2017 12:28

The best gift I ever had was not a tangible gift, but a conversation with a boy who told me that he would never forget me and what I had done for him.

Worth any amount of cake or flowers and I have never forgotten it.

Of course, it's lovely to be given a gift and whatever it is, it's received gratefully because of the thought, but a message, card or letter is such a boost. I wouldn't want any parent to feel obliged to give a gift, but a word of thanks is always welcome.

milliemolliemou · 05/07/2017 12:32

Did any teachers fill in the survey? I think anything which can be stored (wine, pots of flowers, chutneys and jams, soaps etc) are great but did anyone suggest clubbing together (with no specified amount so all can afford) for a voucher from the whole class? Even if it's £1 a primary class adds up .....

BoreOfWhabylon · 05/07/2017 12:33

This thread describes what is, without a doubt, the best end of year present ever

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2971029-to-have-bought-dss-teacher-a-giant-kestrel?dod=1

Purplepicnic · 05/07/2017 13:08

I never buy the teacher a present because I grew up with a teacher in the family and she didn't like the massive onslaught of smellies and chocolates. She had more than she could ever eat or use. So it was seen as a negative in my family.

But I get my kids to write a card or letter and have written one myself in the past to an exceptional teacher.

MNHQ

RowanMumsnet · 05/07/2017 13:42

@Foxyloxy1plus1

The best gift I ever had was not a tangible gift, but a conversation with a boy who told me that he would never forget me and what I had done for him.

Aww Foxy I think I've got something in my eye

OP posts:

MNHQ

RowanMumsnet · 05/07/2017 13:45

[quote BoreOfWhabylon]This thread describes what is, without a doubt, the best end of year present ever

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2971029-to-have-bought-dss-teacher-a-giant-kestrel?dod=1[/quote]

Thanks Bore, we'll make sure that gets a mention in any media interviews...

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MNHQ

RowanMumsnet · 05/07/2017 13:46

@milliemolliemou

We didn't specifically ask teachers what they like to receive - that might be an idea for next time though

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TheSecretMrsFairbrother · 05/07/2017 14:16

I've bought some nice stationery for my DC's teachers, including white board markers, those things are like gold dust!

At Christmas we paid for warm clothing for children in refugee camps on behalf of the school, actually made one of the teachers cry (in a good way I hope!).

IToldYouIWasFreaky · 05/07/2017 14:48

At Christmas, DS made his teacher and TAs origami bookmarks (the kind that go on the corner of a page) in nice Christmas paper. He wrote a nice message on each one, so it was kind of like a card and gift in one.
IMHO, that was the perfect teacher gift - cheap, practical, personal and minimal hassle!
I've peaked now though...no idea what to do for end of term gifts...

AtHomeDadGlos · 05/07/2017 15:02

Teacher here. I would say a class voucher is a nice idea, but I wouldn't want parents to feel pressured into it.

Wine always goes down well.

Oddest gift was a full on bunch of roses from a lad I taught. He'd saved up and bought them because they were the nicest flowers. He was a nice kid. Probably still is!

AtHomeDadGlos · 05/07/2017 15:04

I should add - I can't bear the teacher gift stands the supermarkets wheel out at the end of June and the 'teacher tat' (Best Teacher key rings etc). This is just too cynical and puts too much expectation/pressure on the kids and parents.

PathOfLeastResitance · 05/07/2017 15:13

One year I was given a little boys favourite teddy so that I could give it to future children in my class if they were sad and my usual comfort cuddly was being used. That brought a tear to my eye. It wasbiiusly a much loved teddy and I tried to give it back but he wouldn't have it. He was an absolute gem of a kid and I still have that teddy 9 years on.

chickenowner · 05/07/2017 15:19

My favourite teacher present...

I always like to tell my class a few details about myself, and they seem to like hearing little stories about my life.

I told a year 1 class that my favourite foods are tuna and chocolate (not together!).

For my end of year present one little boy gave me a lovely gift bag containing a tin of tuna and a little box of chocolates. I cried! I then had to explain to a very concerned class that I was crying because I was so happy!

At hometime I thanked his Mum, and she told me that he had wanted to give me his leftover tuna pasta from dinner - as he said I would like it. His Mum suggested that they went to the shop and bought me a new tin instead.

It still makes me well up just thinking about it.

fannydaggerz · 05/07/2017 15:47

My son gave his teacher a Jo Malone candle and made her some biscuits.

He also wrote her card to her with a letter about how she is the best teacher he's ever had.

bookishteacher · 05/07/2017 16:31

Cards are the best! I love a card: hand written, badly spelled, bought or hand-drawn. I keep them all and look back at them when the non-teaching side of my job gets me down or stressed, because these little personalities are why I do what I do, even on 4 hours sleep! They are the best people in the world and I really wouldn't want to do anything else!

Jayneisagirlsname · 05/07/2017 16:34

It is so very kind of parents and children to want to give a gift to staff at the end of the year. As a teacher and a parent I do however wish that we could put a stop to it.

It's not necessary and I hate the thought that it puts pressure on parents. Class collections in particular make me uncomfortable.

If children want to celebrate the relationship they've developed with an adult over the year, that's lovely. Being absolutely honest, it is genuinely the handwritten or handmade cards that mean the most.

The most treasured note I have was from the parent of a girl in a year 6 class. Mum was illiterate, so got a friend to write out what she wanted to say, and then the Mum copied it into a card. It would have taken her ages, and I cried so much when I opened it. I'm welling up a bit just thinking of it.

MNHQ

RowanMumsnet · 05/07/2017 16:46

These are lovely stories - thank you.

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Butteredparsnip1ps · 05/07/2017 17:19

I'm glad to hear that vouchers from the whole class are appreciated. I often buy female teachers nice bath bubbles if there is no class collection, but I'm never sure what to buy male teachers. Especially if they don't drink!

Portishead200 · 05/07/2017 18:32

Not necessary in my opinion because when does it stop? Best postie? Best Dr or nurse? Best dentist?
They have a wage so that's enough for me apart from a thankyou of course

SmileEachDay · 05/07/2017 19:00

I'm secondary.

One of my gruff, tough, Y11 boys who had spent the year driving me bonkers left a box of strawberries on my desk with a card saying "cheers miss, these are because you're always going on at me to eat more fruit"

karigan · 05/07/2017 19:00

The students I teach mostly live in the attached Children's home so we don't get presents- however we do occasionally get cards. I have kept all of these because the care staff don't prompt the kids to get us anything so when they do it's out of a genuine wish to send a card.

The best one I have ever received was three years ago from a 16 year old boy who came into the school as an 14 year old school refuser with SEBD/SEN who had not been in education since he was 6 and was completely illiterate. When he moved on from the school at the end of year 11 he wrote 'Thank you for teaching me to read and write. X' It was all spelled correctly. It's still on my noticeboard.

LaVacheQuiPleure · 05/07/2017 19:36

Teacher here too... gifts are definitely not necessary and I would never want families to feel pressure to buy one. Agree that cards or words of thanks are the loveliest. We DO earn a salary for what we do but I can say hand on heart that almost all teachers work far, far more hours than they are paid for and give up vast amounts of time to help the brilliant young people we work with do the best they can academically, to listen to them, to help them resolve their problems and difficulties. Nobody expects a gift but words, written or spoken, to show that that time is valued and to acknowledge the difference it has made to that young person, can mean a very great deal.

livingthegoodlife · 05/07/2017 20:20

My class do a collection but it's already at £175 and that's only about 2/3rds of class contributing so far! I'm not joining in such an anonymous and thoughtless gift. My child will make a card and write a nice message.

inkydinky · 05/07/2017 21:29

We do a class collection for vouchers for those that want to contribute (no pressure to anyone who doesn't) but do ask all children to contribute to a hand made card. I've written a couple of personal thank you's to some exceptional teachers who have really made the effort with my child. I teach doctors and thank you cards are few and far between but I treasure the ones i do get. One once bought me a lottery ticket in the hope that I could buy myself some time off. She clearly appreciated the hours I put in!

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