Teachers to receive more than £200 worth of gifts on their last day of term

The average teacher in the UK is set to receive more than the average box of chocolates and bunch of flowers this year, according to a survey by online retailer Woolworths.co.uk.

The findings show that more half of UK parents (53.35 per cent) will be spending £7.50, which is 15 times higher than the traditional gift. For an average class of 30 pupils, teachers will receive an estimated £225 worth of presents.

Some 44 per cent of parents who buy presents for their child’s teacher do so to thank them, while 27 per cent do so out of obligation.

Parents from the East midlands appear to be the highest of such spenders, as 57.14 per cent fork out for gifts to their child’s teacher. A quarter of parents in the East Midlands buy gifts because it is common place, regardless of whether or not they like the teacher.

The figures also point to this being a growing trend, with 63 per cent of parents aged between 25-34 buying presents compared to 52 per cent a generation before.

A survey conducted by the association of teachers and lecturers (ATL) in 2010 revealed that the most popular gifts were chocolate (85 per cent) followed by flowers and plants (53 per cent) and toiletries at (48 per cent).

Meanwhile, more unconventional gifts, such as a tiffany bracelet, a mulberry handbag and a brace of pheasants were found to have been given to teachers.

The most common time of the year for teachers to receive gifts is at the end of the academic year (70 per cent) followed by religious festivals: Christmas, Hanukah or Eid at 63 per cent.

Ben Spencer