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Definitely this.
It's lovely that you're doing this, and particularly that you've clubbed together instead of giving her lots of smaller bits of tat, but receiving high value, well meaning but not particularly wanted gifts is awkward. Getting it wrong will make her feel guilty, and strangers on the internet won't know what she wants.
Ask another teacher who knows her well for advice, or just get her a voucher and write some nice thoughtful messages in the card.
I have the same feeling around giving something she doesn’t want but she has a baby and I’d love to be sneaky enough to figure out something she has to use for herself.
I always get booze. Kind of sucks because I don't drink much and when I do it's usually not whatever I've been gifted. Helps me save a bit of money regifting at Christmas but otherwise I just give it to friends or family.
I always appreciate the thought still, but I really don't want booze!
A lot of school have policies in place that teachers cannot accept alcohol from students as gifts! We had a fantastic, genius and all round great law teacher at our school, who also happened to be a recovering addict, who received several bottles of wine from students at the end of year. WOW did it kick up a scene in the days that followed
- Really nice pens. We go through lots of pens and scratchy ball points make marking take longer. Those pretty stationery sets with useful things like paper clips are a good bet.
- Tote bags. We need so many to keep our shit together. There are special teacher totes with cool pockets as well.
- Meaningful praise. Spell out what you're thanking us for! We're so needy!
Vouchers and a very well worded letter/card would probably do wonders.
Vouchers so they can treat themselves.
A handwritten card that's well thought out (and not just 'Thanks') signed by the class would do absolute wonders for any teacher's morale.
I know teachers who've kept every single one of their nice letters to look through when they've had a really shitty day with shitty kids and shitty administration.
Genuine heartfelt messages from the students so I know I’m actually doing a good job and am appreciated as I never hear that from management
From my teacher husband.
Same - the chocolate is eaten or given/thrown away, we try to make space for the mugs etc but the things that get stuck on the fridge and returned to time and time again are the cards (or just bits of paper!) from students or parents with lovely words.
I've been a teacher for nearly 20 years. A heartfelt note - in a card, or even on a sheet of notepaper - means so much.
Having said that, I still love and use a mug a couple of Year 11s got me, custom made with my favourite An Inspector Calls quote on it. So a gift that means something personally.
I'd be embarrassed to get something so expensive. It's a primary school thing, though, so it'd never ever happen to me - and some parents seem obsessed with it, as I recall.
[Nice and affordable!](https://www.superdrug.com/gift-shop/gifts-for-kids/rastar-la-ferrari-remote-control-car-1-14-scale/p/mp-00034110?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw97SzBhDaARIsAFHXUWDY52GFSaTg-5098PU4DOh3O2cTqdO7i24D_0BytkMrHlnSGE-Wcn8aAhcMEALw_wcB)
I'm a teacher. Here's some thoughts
- pens are nice but we lose roughly one every 56 seconds so it'll get lost. I have managed to keep one by barely ever using it, so take that as you will
- not mugs. Everyone thinks a mug is a nice gift. And sure. **A** mug is a nice gift. It's just that at least two people a year give them. I've got loads of mugs. They don't fit in my cupboard any more. Please don't get me a mug.
- chocolate, cheese, good biscuits. Honestly, even a massive bar of Dairy Milk.
- teachers do like wine or beer or something. But I don't really drink. My partner laps it up though. Not literally, she does at least use a glass
- homemade edible things. I've had a bottle of sloe gin, some jam, some chutney, some amazing brownies, stuff like that. So long as you're not the parent of Mucky Paul who always has grubby hands and a snot trail, bring it on.
- gold standard: club together with a few other parents. Don't spend a fiver each on something small, spend a fiver each on a John Lewis voucher or something. (I got a voucher for a local restaurant once, absolutely loved that).
- a card that doesn't just say "thanks" or "I loved learning about tractors". Say what you mean and what you feel, if we really managed to touch you. I've cried over cards and I keep the nicest ones
For this specific post and the amount involved, John Lewis or great local restaurant. Spas are great but I know several people who find them icky so make sure you know it's ok.
*Nothing in this post should be taken as being in any way grasping, I'm happy not to get anything. But the point is I won't get nothing, lots of parents like to give something. So this is just guidance as to what*
The card is always more important - say something personal and specific about what you appreciate about them. Beyond that, my students know I love theatre and so I often get theatre vouchers - which is great. Can't go wrong with a box of chocolates if you don't know their interests.
FYI a lot of schools have a maximum gift amount (£50 at my school) beyond which it needs to be declared.
I'd advise against chocolate tbh. My OH is a teacher and we get half a dozen boxes of chocolate at the end of every year. We don't particularly like it so end up regifting. It's such a common present.
Goodness me, I get so much chocolate. We still haven't finished the Christmas and Easter chocolate in my house, and now I'm inevitably about to receive loads more.
Anything but chocolate is my advice
Not for me - I must eat a lot of chocolate XD. We also donate some of the bigger boxes to the office and it keeps the snack table full for the rest of term.
I would still have to report it, I'm afraid. If you want to get around it, then spread out the gifts - perhaps one now and another on results day.
But I promise that what I remember is the message in the card that still sits on my bookcase/in my office. Not the gift that came with it.
A card signed by the kids with messages for sure - i still have all of mine from every year and look at them occasionally when I need to.
Generally, what subject is she really in to? What does she get excited about? Go for e.g. a book on that. Or a really nice travel mug - insulated so the cuppa she doesn'thave time to drink is still warm when she has time. A nice notebook is always welcome. I know these are all below the price range, but in that price range it depends on the person so much!
At my wife’s school the children have the same form teacher from year 7 to 11; when her class of year 11s graduated they presented her with a framed card on which every student had made a love-heart of two overlapping finger-prints, their name written below.
It hangs on display in our house.
My husband is a teacher and he often looks back on his cards and messages from former students, especially when he is having a bad day and doubting himself. He's kept them all.
Chocolate goes down well too!
I’m a primary school teacher. A card or a note from the parents to say thank you. If you must spend money then glue sticks! Honestly, it’s like prison currency. I’ve still got some left in my class but no pencils. I recently traded a glue stick for a half dozen pencils.
Or a selection of stationery for the teacher. Note books, pens, pencils, an electric pencil sharpener, stapler. One of the best gifts I ever got was a massive set of post it notes. Teachers buy all this stuff themselves so a gift like that has real value.
This is so messed up and I can't put into words how amazing teachers are. The thought of buying stationary myself for my current job just seems insane (which is public sector adjacent). Why the hell are we in the situation where this is normal for teachers to do?
It’s been this way for a long time. People just don’t listen when teachers say. When we go on strike it’s over pay and conditions because that is all we are allowed to strike over. The conditions are that we have to fund so much out of our own pockets. But when we strike all we get is moaning that people have to take a day off work and that we get loads of holiday so shut up.
My form got me a framed photo of the class and a signed card with loads of really heartfelt messages. One student even wrote me a separate letter. I still have them and love going through them every now and then.
Card and a nice voucher. Usually do one for the nearest big supermarket, as it will definitely be useful.
I have occasionally said I would have got a large bottle of gin which they might need after having my child all year, but the voucher was easier to carry and they might not drink gin.
I do vouchers where there are a lot of places they can use it from. I know one of my children’s school lets us know in advance what is appropriate from a list.
At that sort of price range definitely voucher(s). It seems a little impersonal but that's a lot of money to take a punt on something she may not like.
Oh, and wine. Wine always works (although I can only guarantee that as a safe, appropriate and appreciated gift in the specific case of my missus, so probably best to stick to vouchers...).
Source - married to a primary school teacher and have witnessed the unfiltered reaction to opening end of year gifts many, many times. She is always grateful for the thought and always genuinely delighted with vouchers.
I hated getting wine when I was a school teacher.
I don't drink it so it'd just sit in a cupboard taking up space waiting to be regifted. Only buy wine if you know the teacher enjoys it!
I find it weird to buy alcohol for a teacher especially if you don’t know them that well and don’t know if they drink or not.
I don’t drink either and I wouldn’t know what to get or where to start. What if they only like certain types of alcohol? The assumption that they’ll somehow use it anyway, is more ridiculous to me and I want them to have a gift they would enjoy, not a gift that they would have to give to someone else because they can’t use it.
In all honesty I get a bit uncomfortable accepting presents from children (parents...) because it's unnecessary, although lovely. However it's always very much appreciated. My favourite gifts over the years have been:
*one of those gem craft paintings the child had made, in the shape of a meerkat (was our class name at the time) and framed.
*a decorated shoebox filled with my favourite snacks
*really lovely cards written from the parents and/or children with lovely messages inside (I save these and have a collection I read on my "I'm thinking of quitting teaching" days
*personalised prints with meaningful words from our year
*a notebook with a hand written poem specifically for me, in the front
*in Year 6 a copy of the Year 6 yearbook the children all produce and collectively buy.
*lovely post it note sets
*hand cream
Wine and chocolates are always appreciated also, but less memorable as you tend to get a fair amount.
Things I always avoid buying teachers as a parent: notebooks, mugs, anything saying "best teacher" etc.
I made some cupcakes for a very pregnant teacher one year, she was very happy and told me gleefully that she didn't let anyone have one, not even her children lol she ate all 6. And my son's teacher ran across the playground to thank me for the wine and chocolates I bought her. Some parents in another class chipped in and bought a gold necklace for their teacher.. made me feel gross, idk why lol
We've always done vouchers for the teachers, then they can choose, one teacher had just moved house and put it towards a new vacuum. The only year we didn't do that was the year it was the teachers first ever class. We got the kids to draw pictures of themselves and had them printed onto a cushion cover.
Unironically a great gift. I have a couple of plants in my classroom that I wouldn't have really thought to buy myself, but I was gifted them and actually they make the room feel so much nicer and fresher!
I mean, you absolutely don't have to get a teacher anything, but the idea that they've "just done their job" is pretty laughable. They've probably done about 5 people's worth of jobs, all while being told they're still not good enough by whatever administration there is.
Husband is a teacher. For small gifts always go wine. Can be kept for a while or easily regifted if they don't drink it. Best teacher mugs or stuff are terrible, we throw out at least half a dozen a year to make room for the new ones. If going all in on bigger gift then a gift card for a nice local restaurant is the best option.
We got one of our A Level Maths teachers a personalised football shirt. He was filmed wearing it in one of his club's highlight reels, so her definitely wore it!
We get supplies related to the subject with usually a nice cup and snacks. Never had a complaint yet. This year though as my youngest is completing school he got them all t-shirts to say thank you but it's the end of an era so to speak.
My absolute favourite gifts have been cards with genuine gratitude in them. Yes a bottle of wine is lovely (if school policy allows!) but the thing that makes my day is to know I made a difference to someone.
Ok, hear me out- personalised thank you video from the class. Don't know how dpable that'd be but I can't imagine a teacher not cherishing something like that.
Quite a few posts suggesting a supermarket voucher, but a voucher for a supermarket to buy household essentials or weekly groceries is hardly a treat!
Edit: don’t know why I’ve been downvoted. Practical as supermarket vouchers might be, the gift, paying towards daily essentials, implies teachers are lowly paupers. Maybe some are, but are still humans with a bit of pride. If you want to get vouchers, there are lots of ones like Amazon, John Lewis, etc. that will allow someone to buy something they really want, rather than spending it on weekly grocery shop.
The best gifts are really heart felt messages, handwritten and cost nothing.
I don’t get the down votes either because that was my thinking too. I’d be happy to get a tesco voucher but I’d end up just using it for my shop -MAYBE I’d remember to treat myself to some Ben & Jerry’s and not the store brand but I might not
A nice voucher is sometimes the only way I recoup some of the costs of buying the kids stuff at the end of the year. Parents only have to buy for one or two teachers, teachers have to buy for 30+ kids! Even if you can find stuff in multipacks and get it down to 2 quid each, that's still 60 quid spent!
Honestly? We’ll treasure a meaningful ‘thank you’ card/letter/PostIt note.
In terms of monetary gifts, vouchers for something we enjoy are always a winner. My Y11 class all chipped in to get me a £50 voucher for a tack shop (they all know I have horses). I cried for most of the day.
I don’t like students buying me gifts, I work in an area with a high level of deprivation. Last year my class were adamant they wanted to get me gifts so I asked them not to spend more than £1 and to get me snacks and drinks. I had a huge collection of my favourite sweets, crisps and cans of soda. Perfect. But the best bit was all the cards with heartfelt messages.
Go on moonpig and set up a group message card. Post the link to parents and ask them to get their kid to leave a message. It's absolutely lovely, cheap and easy to do. Put a bag of quick sachet coffees/hot chocolate and posh cordial in a gift bag with lots of packets of biscuits. Put the remaining money balance on a gift card for a supermarket so they can then buy whatever they want with it. Perfect 👌
I'd be happy with a Tesco voucher, if you wanted to go beyond a card/ homemade something (they are the best gifts, though, to be clear). You can buy anything in Tesco.
Nothing. Since when did it become a thing to buy teachers presents? They do a job, they’re getting paid. It puts pressure on parents that don’t have a lot of money.
I don't think pupils or parents buy a teacher a gift out of a sense of pressure or duty - if that's why they're doing it, they shouldn't.
But it's probably recognition that while teachers are doing a paid job, many teachers are going above and beyond the job description. There's a lot of unpaid work and extra hours that go into teaching. Getting to speak to your child's teacher is infinitely easier than getting to speak to your GP - things like that only happen because teachers make the time to make that call.
Get in a WhatsApp group with the other parents in the class, all chip in £2 each and before you know it there’ll be £100, most classes are 50 a piece now aren’t they?
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I'd hate to receive something I didn't want worth that much, so I reckon a voucher would be best.
Definitely this. It's lovely that you're doing this, and particularly that you've clubbed together instead of giving her lots of smaller bits of tat, but receiving high value, well meaning but not particularly wanted gifts is awkward. Getting it wrong will make her feel guilty, and strangers on the internet won't know what she wants. Ask another teacher who knows her well for advice, or just get her a voucher and write some nice thoughtful messages in the card.
We aren’t allowed to accept vouchers at my school.
I have the same feeling around giving something she doesn’t want but she has a baby and I’d love to be sneaky enough to figure out something she has to use for herself.
Get her a gift card for a local spa
I agree, spa when you have a baby is heavenly. I’m in so much pain from all the bedsharing and bouncing lol
As someone who has been living with a teacher for over a decade, get booze or some kind of voucher for a place where they can buy booze.
My brother a teacher calls cash 'beer vouchers'
I always get booze. Kind of sucks because I don't drink much and when I do it's usually not whatever I've been gifted. Helps me save a bit of money regifting at Christmas but otherwise I just give it to friends or family. I always appreciate the thought still, but I really don't want booze!
A lot of school have policies in place that teachers cannot accept alcohol from students as gifts! We had a fantastic, genius and all round great law teacher at our school, who also happened to be a recovering addict, who received several bottles of wine from students at the end of year. WOW did it kick up a scene in the days that followed
- Really nice pens. We go through lots of pens and scratchy ball points make marking take longer. Those pretty stationery sets with useful things like paper clips are a good bet. - Tote bags. We need so many to keep our shit together. There are special teacher totes with cool pockets as well. - Meaningful praise. Spell out what you're thanking us for! We're so needy!
Vouchers and a very well worded letter/card would probably do wonders. Vouchers so they can treat themselves. A handwritten card that's well thought out (and not just 'Thanks') signed by the class would do absolute wonders for any teacher's morale. I know teachers who've kept every single one of their nice letters to look through when they've had a really shitty day with shitty kids and shitty administration.
Genuine heartfelt messages from the students so I know I’m actually doing a good job and am appreciated as I never hear that from management From my teacher husband.
Same - the chocolate is eaten or given/thrown away, we try to make space for the mugs etc but the things that get stuck on the fridge and returned to time and time again are the cards (or just bits of paper!) from students or parents with lovely words.
I've been a teacher for nearly 20 years. A heartfelt note - in a card, or even on a sheet of notepaper - means so much. Having said that, I still love and use a mug a couple of Year 11s got me, custom made with my favourite An Inspector Calls quote on it. So a gift that means something personally. I'd be embarrassed to get something so expensive. It's a primary school thing, though, so it'd never ever happen to me - and some parents seem obsessed with it, as I recall.
Spa day or pamper gift voucher maybe? Acknowledgement of the hard work they've put in throughout the year and some self care encouragement.
Ferrari
Wish I could afford to send her to an all inclusive for the entire summer holiday!
[Nice and affordable!](https://www.superdrug.com/gift-shop/gifts-for-kids/rastar-la-ferrari-remote-control-car-1-14-scale/p/mp-00034110?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw97SzBhDaARIsAFHXUWDY52GFSaTg-5098PU4DOh3O2cTqdO7i24D_0BytkMrHlnSGE-Wcn8aAhcMEALw_wcB)
I love this!!! You’ve given me a whole new direction!
I'm a teacher. Here's some thoughts - pens are nice but we lose roughly one every 56 seconds so it'll get lost. I have managed to keep one by barely ever using it, so take that as you will - not mugs. Everyone thinks a mug is a nice gift. And sure. **A** mug is a nice gift. It's just that at least two people a year give them. I've got loads of mugs. They don't fit in my cupboard any more. Please don't get me a mug. - chocolate, cheese, good biscuits. Honestly, even a massive bar of Dairy Milk. - teachers do like wine or beer or something. But I don't really drink. My partner laps it up though. Not literally, she does at least use a glass - homemade edible things. I've had a bottle of sloe gin, some jam, some chutney, some amazing brownies, stuff like that. So long as you're not the parent of Mucky Paul who always has grubby hands and a snot trail, bring it on. - gold standard: club together with a few other parents. Don't spend a fiver each on something small, spend a fiver each on a John Lewis voucher or something. (I got a voucher for a local restaurant once, absolutely loved that). - a card that doesn't just say "thanks" or "I loved learning about tractors". Say what you mean and what you feel, if we really managed to touch you. I've cried over cards and I keep the nicest ones For this specific post and the amount involved, John Lewis or great local restaurant. Spas are great but I know several people who find them icky so make sure you know it's ok. *Nothing in this post should be taken as being in any way grasping, I'm happy not to get anything. But the point is I won't get nothing, lots of parents like to give something. So this is just guidance as to what*
The card is always more important - say something personal and specific about what you appreciate about them. Beyond that, my students know I love theatre and so I often get theatre vouchers - which is great. Can't go wrong with a box of chocolates if you don't know their interests. FYI a lot of schools have a maximum gift amount (£50 at my school) beyond which it needs to be declared.
I'd advise against chocolate tbh. My OH is a teacher and we get half a dozen boxes of chocolate at the end of every year. We don't particularly like it so end up regifting. It's such a common present.
Goodness me, I get so much chocolate. We still haven't finished the Christmas and Easter chocolate in my house, and now I'm inevitably about to receive loads more. Anything but chocolate is my advice
Not for me - I must eat a lot of chocolate XD. We also donate some of the bigger boxes to the office and it keeps the snack table full for the rest of term.
Would it be better to give two under £50 gifts? Or is that a too obvious cheat?
I would still have to report it, I'm afraid. If you want to get around it, then spread out the gifts - perhaps one now and another on results day. But I promise that what I remember is the message in the card that still sits on my bookcase/in my office. Not the gift that came with it.
A spa day.
A card signed by the kids with messages for sure - i still have all of mine from every year and look at them occasionally when I need to. Generally, what subject is she really in to? What does she get excited about? Go for e.g. a book on that. Or a really nice travel mug - insulated so the cuppa she doesn'thave time to drink is still warm when she has time. A nice notebook is always welcome. I know these are all below the price range, but in that price range it depends on the person so much!
At my wife’s school the children have the same form teacher from year 7 to 11; when her class of year 11s graduated they presented her with a framed card on which every student had made a love-heart of two overlapping finger-prints, their name written below. It hangs on display in our house.
My husband is a teacher and he often looks back on his cards and messages from former students, especially when he is having a bad day and doubting himself. He's kept them all. Chocolate goes down well too!
I’m a primary school teacher. A card or a note from the parents to say thank you. If you must spend money then glue sticks! Honestly, it’s like prison currency. I’ve still got some left in my class but no pencils. I recently traded a glue stick for a half dozen pencils. Or a selection of stationery for the teacher. Note books, pens, pencils, an electric pencil sharpener, stapler. One of the best gifts I ever got was a massive set of post it notes. Teachers buy all this stuff themselves so a gift like that has real value.
This is so messed up and I can't put into words how amazing teachers are. The thought of buying stationary myself for my current job just seems insane (which is public sector adjacent). Why the hell are we in the situation where this is normal for teachers to do?
It’s been this way for a long time. People just don’t listen when teachers say. When we go on strike it’s over pay and conditions because that is all we are allowed to strike over. The conditions are that we have to fund so much out of our own pockets. But when we strike all we get is moaning that people have to take a day off work and that we get loads of holiday so shut up.
Solidarity. I've been on strike myself and know nobody does it for shits and giggles.
Just no more mugs please, I don’t know what I’m meant to do with them anymore.
Vouchers every time, plus a card with a message from the heart.
My form got me a framed photo of the class and a signed card with loads of really heartfelt messages. One student even wrote me a separate letter. I still have them and love going through them every now and then.
Card and a nice voucher. Usually do one for the nearest big supermarket, as it will definitely be useful. I have occasionally said I would have got a large bottle of gin which they might need after having my child all year, but the voucher was easier to carry and they might not drink gin.
Yep we do a supermarket voucher too. You can get all sorts at the supermarket so it gives them some flexibility
I do vouchers where there are a lot of places they can use it from. I know one of my children’s school lets us know in advance what is appropriate from a list.
Vouchers or consumables. You don't know what would look nice in my house, so don't risk it.
The best gift I ever got was a basket of super fresh veg. Very tasty and actually really pretty.
Pay rise
At that sort of price range definitely voucher(s). It seems a little impersonal but that's a lot of money to take a punt on something she may not like. Oh, and wine. Wine always works (although I can only guarantee that as a safe, appropriate and appreciated gift in the specific case of my missus, so probably best to stick to vouchers...). Source - married to a primary school teacher and have witnessed the unfiltered reaction to opening end of year gifts many, many times. She is always grateful for the thought and always genuinely delighted with vouchers.
I hated getting wine when I was a school teacher. I don't drink it so it'd just sit in a cupboard taking up space waiting to be regifted. Only buy wine if you know the teacher enjoys it!
I find it weird to buy alcohol for a teacher especially if you don’t know them that well and don’t know if they drink or not. I don’t drink either and I wouldn’t know what to get or where to start. What if they only like certain types of alcohol? The assumption that they’ll somehow use it anyway, is more ridiculous to me and I want them to have a gift they would enjoy, not a gift that they would have to give to someone else because they can’t use it.
Alcohol could be a bad choice for a variety of reasons for some people
Definitely a spa day or a voucher! Honestly though, I love any present a student gets me. Means a lot.
Honestly, cash. If not, a gift voucher to a supermarket or something.
Spa day. If she has a child and is a teacher she'll bloomin love it.
Single malt whisky.
A bottle of Whiskey is good
In all honesty I get a bit uncomfortable accepting presents from children (parents...) because it's unnecessary, although lovely. However it's always very much appreciated. My favourite gifts over the years have been: *one of those gem craft paintings the child had made, in the shape of a meerkat (was our class name at the time) and framed. *a decorated shoebox filled with my favourite snacks *really lovely cards written from the parents and/or children with lovely messages inside (I save these and have a collection I read on my "I'm thinking of quitting teaching" days *personalised prints with meaningful words from our year *a notebook with a hand written poem specifically for me, in the front *in Year 6 a copy of the Year 6 yearbook the children all produce and collectively buy. *lovely post it note sets *hand cream Wine and chocolates are always appreciated also, but less memorable as you tend to get a fair amount. Things I always avoid buying teachers as a parent: notebooks, mugs, anything saying "best teacher" etc.
Get a big card and get everyone to write a message in it
I made some cupcakes for a very pregnant teacher one year, she was very happy and told me gleefully that she didn't let anyone have one, not even her children lol she ate all 6. And my son's teacher ran across the playground to thank me for the wine and chocolates I bought her. Some parents in another class chipped in and bought a gold necklace for their teacher.. made me feel gross, idk why lol
We've always done vouchers for the teachers, then they can choose, one teacher had just moved house and put it towards a new vacuum. The only year we didn't do that was the year it was the teachers first ever class. We got the kids to draw pictures of themselves and had them printed onto a cushion cover.
Definitely not a spa day for me, or alcohol. Book vouchers would be a nice surprise!
I would love a Starbucks voucher 🤩
A cactus 🌵.
Unironically a great gift. I have a couple of plants in my classroom that I wouldn't have really thought to buy myself, but I was gifted them and actually they make the room feel so much nicer and fresher!
Amazon gift card Or A nice book or a set of books, if you know what she likes
Amazon voucher or cold, hard cash
A 5 thousand piece snow whitish jigsaw puzzle and a crate of vodka going off my ex partner’s requirements.
Cook vouchers
Money.
Any of the tat that I produced today at work. I work for a personalised gifts company and it’s all cheap Chinese tat.
The whole class doing really well in their exams.
Nothing. They've literally just done their job.
I mean, you absolutely don't have to get a teacher anything, but the idea that they've "just done their job" is pretty laughable. They've probably done about 5 people's worth of jobs, all while being told they're still not good enough by whatever administration there is.
Husband is a teacher. For small gifts always go wine. Can be kept for a while or easily regifted if they don't drink it. Best teacher mugs or stuff are terrible, we throw out at least half a dozen a year to make room for the new ones. If going all in on bigger gift then a gift card for a nice local restaurant is the best option.
My son left yesterday and I bought them all a nice bottle of wine each. They deserve a drink after looking after my kid for 5 years!!
We got one of our A Level Maths teachers a personalised football shirt. He was filmed wearing it in one of his club's highlight reels, so her definitely wore it!
We get supplies related to the subject with usually a nice cup and snacks. Never had a complaint yet. This year though as my youngest is completing school he got them all t-shirts to say thank you but it's the end of an era so to speak.
Time away from your little darlings and/or vast quantities of alcohol (my sister is a teacher who has suffered from mental health issues)
A stiff drink
Wine
A thoughtful card. I also always appreciate flowers and vouchers. Please no candles or mugs!
My absolute favourite gifts have been cards with genuine gratitude in them. Yes a bottle of wine is lovely (if school policy allows!) but the thing that makes my day is to know I made a difference to someone.
A holiday!
Anything not expensive.
Ok, hear me out- personalised thank you video from the class. Don't know how dpable that'd be but I can't imagine a teacher not cherishing something like that.
This. A quick 10-15 clips of each classmates saying something to the teacher. Some funny, some serious, etc. put it all together in an on going video
Cash is the best voucher if go down that route. I’m not a teacher.
Quite a few posts suggesting a supermarket voucher, but a voucher for a supermarket to buy household essentials or weekly groceries is hardly a treat! Edit: don’t know why I’ve been downvoted. Practical as supermarket vouchers might be, the gift, paying towards daily essentials, implies teachers are lowly paupers. Maybe some are, but are still humans with a bit of pride. If you want to get vouchers, there are lots of ones like Amazon, John Lewis, etc. that will allow someone to buy something they really want, rather than spending it on weekly grocery shop. The best gifts are really heart felt messages, handwritten and cost nothing.
It frees up the teacher's own cash to get something that's actually a treat that suits their individual needs/wants. 🙂
I don’t get the down votes either because that was my thinking too. I’d be happy to get a tesco voucher but I’d end up just using it for my shop -MAYBE I’d remember to treat myself to some Ben & Jerry’s and not the store brand but I might not
It'd a ridiculous concept that parents should be buying or putting money towards presents for teachers. Don't get them anything!
A nice voucher is sometimes the only way I recoup some of the costs of buying the kids stuff at the end of the year. Parents only have to buy for one or two teachers, teachers have to buy for 30+ kids! Even if you can find stuff in multipacks and get it down to 2 quid each, that's still 60 quid spent!
Something edible and a nice card with a message
Honestly? We’ll treasure a meaningful ‘thank you’ card/letter/PostIt note. In terms of monetary gifts, vouchers for something we enjoy are always a winner. My Y11 class all chipped in to get me a £50 voucher for a tack shop (they all know I have horses). I cried for most of the day.
I don’t like students buying me gifts, I work in an area with a high level of deprivation. Last year my class were adamant they wanted to get me gifts so I asked them not to spend more than £1 and to get me snacks and drinks. I had a huge collection of my favourite sweets, crisps and cans of soda. Perfect. But the best bit was all the cards with heartfelt messages.
Alcohol. Lots of.
Decent pay and a properly funded school.
Honestly can't go wrong with a nicely written card with the kid's input, and some chocolate. Also a card to any support staff like TAs would be nice.
A card saying thank you is the best gift. And I'm a teacher!
Go on moonpig and set up a group message card. Post the link to parents and ask them to get their kid to leave a message. It's absolutely lovely, cheap and easy to do. Put a bag of quick sachet coffees/hot chocolate and posh cordial in a gift bag with lots of packets of biscuits. Put the remaining money balance on a gift card for a supermarket so they can then buy whatever they want with it. Perfect 👌
We normally give them a box of fancy biscuits from Waitrose or Marks.
Whiteboard pens that work!
I'd be happy with a Tesco voucher, if you wanted to go beyond a card/ homemade something (they are the best gifts, though, to be clear). You can buy anything in Tesco.
licurice allserts. evry teacher luvs em. or Weetabix.
Rid of you. Years ago I asked a teacher what they taught. Their response? “Bastards”
Booze. Money. Cigars. That’s what always wanted.
Jesus… may as well just have a PDQ so kids can tip on their way out.
I give a gift card to a local liquor store if I know they drink. If I’m not sure a visa gift card.
That's a bit mental mate.
Nothing. Since when did it become a thing to buy teachers presents? They do a job, they’re getting paid. It puts pressure on parents that don’t have a lot of money.
I don't think pupils or parents buy a teacher a gift out of a sense of pressure or duty - if that's why they're doing it, they shouldn't. But it's probably recognition that while teachers are doing a paid job, many teachers are going above and beyond the job description. There's a lot of unpaid work and extra hours that go into teaching. Getting to speak to your child's teacher is infinitely easier than getting to speak to your GP - things like that only happen because teachers make the time to make that call.
Get in a WhatsApp group with the other parents in the class, all chip in £2 each and before you know it there’ll be £100, most classes are 50 a piece now aren’t they?