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Whether it’s stylish stationery or food and drink, these gift ideas are sure to make teachers smile
School is already out for summer in Scotland and some private schools, while everyone else breaks up this week. With sports days, leavers’ assemblies and other July school events nearly done and dusted for another academic year, that means both kids and teachers will soon be enjoying a well-earned break.
Brilliant teachers are an invaluable source of support for children, helping them grow in confidence and develop a love of learning, and this time of year is an ideal moment to express your gratitude. Your child might be moving to a new school in September, they may have had a particularly caring role model this year or their teacher could be leaving for pastures new.
Whether you’re stuck for ideas, need inspiration for a group gift or are shopping on a budget, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up the best teacher gifts to say thank you, without a naff option in sight.
From a candle and jewellery to an academic notebook and a mug for their morning cuppa, there’s plenty of choice. We’ve also included tasty gestures such as wine and chocolates. With prices ranging from £3.50 to £37.50, our team has sampled present picks with affordability in mind.
We know the last days of term can be a frantic time for families getting sorted ahead of the summer holidays, so, we’re here to help you get organised with a thank you gift. Keep scrolling and shop the perfect present now.
We spent several weeks testing potential gifts for teachers, to cover all price points. Our expert shopping team looked at personalised presents, alcohol, sweet treats and goodies for relaxing after a busy school year. Keep reading to discover the tried-and-tested teacher gifts that made our best buy list.
Add an extra special touch to end of term celebrations with this personalised plant. There are several succulent options available, and you can choose a pot with the words ‘best teacher’ etched on to it. We particularly like the grey and copper and black glazed pots, as they add an on-trend interior accessory to work with any decor. Plus, the low-maintenance plant only needs watering once a month. The message is written in metallic letters on one side, for a much-appreciated teacher to display on a desk or shelf. You could even club together with another parent and make it a joint present.
A box of Cadbury’s heroes is a fail-safe gift for a sweet-toothed teacher, thanks to the name and the variety of classic chocolates found inside. Say thank you with a selection of chocolate favourites, including crunchie, wispa, fudge, crème egg twisted, twirl and dinky decker. They might fancy sharing them with colleagues or enjoying a sweet treat over the summer holidays. You could buy a box for your child’s teacher and support staff too.
You can’t go wrong with a classic candle as a gift, and this Seychelles scent will take your teacher into the summer holidays in style. It’s presented in a chic, signature White Company holder, which will add elegance to any living space. The creamy, fresh and uplifting fragrance notes include bergamot, amber and vanilla. After lighting this candle, the summery scent filled our room, and we found its fragrance blend luxurious without being overpowering. It quickly became our go-to treat candle to light for drinks in the garden or putting our feet up on the sofa. Plus, the 140g size offers an average burn time of 33 hours, so that’ll provide plentiful home fragrance joy.
This sweet, silver-plated bracelet comes complete with a contrasting gold star charm, and is specifically presented as a teacher’s present. The delicate beaded piece is an understated pick worn on its own and we also like it stacked with other bracelets. We’ve found the bracelet a comfy way of adding a simple yet stylish accessory for less than £20. It would be a lovely nursery gift from a little one or a special treat for an older child’s teacher too.
Teachers can tuck into a tasty thank you gift with this box of gingerbread biscuits, which are presented in an illustrated Biscuiteers box. There are 10 small colourfully iced square biscuits inside, spelling out the words ‘thank you’ (with a couple of kisses) and they make a thoughtful gesture to be eaten in the staff room or during the summer break. We’ve been sampling the bite-sized square biscuits and enjoyed their satisfyingly crunchy texture and sweet yet spicy flavour.
Teachers are often presented with flowers on the last day before summer, so how about gifting them a gorgeous vase? This ceramic piece features a stripy blue pattern on the main body and a turquoise trim adorns its neck. The 20cm x 13.5cm dimensions mean it easily holds a medium-sized bunch of blooms, and the sturdy piece makes a classic gift. We’ve found the nautical style has a summery effect and looks equally chic while empty as it does with stems in it. Plus, it comes in a sunny yellow and white striped option.
Treat your child’s teacher to some well-earned relaxation with these self-heating eye masks. This box includes five individually wrapped masks that start to heat up as soon as you remove them from their packaging. The masks loop over your ears and stay put as you get some shut eye, and we also like the celestial pattern. We regularly use Spacemasks and find the warmth on our eyes feels especially calming and lulls us into a sense of peacefulness. This orange and grapefruit option is the latest Spacemasks scent and we found the citrus blend offers a summery escape while listening to music or having a nap. They’re also excellent for soothing hayfever and headaches.
This is a thoughtful gift teachers can use at work and home. The sleek stainless steel ballpoint pen is comfy to hold and write with, while looking smart too. You can add up to 15 characters on the pen, whether that’s ‘best teacher’ or a name. We’ve found this timeless stationery piece feels special to use for everyday writing, and the personalised aspect adds an individual present touch.
This bottle of shiraz has a fruity, sweet taste, making it a light choice to drink on summer evenings or at a picnic. The Australian red wine bottle has fun, colourful branding and it has a screw top for opening ease. We enjoyed drinking this smooth wine while unwinding, and it’s an affordable tipple at less than £6 too.
We’ve also been sipping Aldi’s crisp white specially selected South African rhône blend (£6.99, Aldi.co.uk) and the slightly fancier specially selected pinot noir rosé (£9.99, Aldi.co.uk) for additional wine options.
A gift card is a great option if you’re looking to organise a shared present with other parents, and the teacher in question can shop in a variety of departments at high-street stalwart John Lewis. Choose from an amount of £10 upwards, and perhaps pop it in a handwritten card signed by the whole group. As well as a physical gift card, there’s an e-version too, and they can also check their balance online. They’ll enjoy looking for fashion, home, beauty, or food treats with this thank you gift.
A gift hamper is a lovely way of spoiling someone, and this set enables you to select different options to suit your recipient. We sampled the best teacher gift box for her, which includes a beautfully scented and skin-softening B Skincare lavender hand cream and a set of lime, basil and mandarin tealights ideal for summer sundowner drinks. There’s also deliciously creamy Montezuma’s giant chocolate buttons for a sweet treat in there and refreshing non-alcoholic drinks from Luscombe elderflower bubbly and rose bubbly. It makes a brilliant class gift and is an enjoyable slice of TLC to be enjoyed in peace after a busy term of teaching kids.
A deliciously summery drink, ideal for sipping in the sunshine, this lemon-flavoured gin is tangy and light. There’s no added sugar, so the citrus notes shine through. We’ve been pairing it with soda water, tonic water or lemonade and have been relishing the refreshing taste. When sampled minus mixers, it has an intense zesty taste – the citron pressé blend was originally inspired by the Tom Collins cocktail. The drink serves up holiday vibes, and its sunny yellow glass bottle instantly brightens up any shelf or drinks cabinet.
Upgrade their morning cuppa with this personalised Emma Bridgewater pick. The lovely mug features a cute hand-decorated bumblebee design, and we appreciate its generous half-pint size. Teachers might like to use the mug at home during the summer and then bring it into school for break-time drinks come September. Plus, you can add the teacher’s name in an aesthetically pleasing hand-painted font, so none of their colleagues can nab it.
An academic diary is a practical present, and any teacher is bound to look forward to using this stylish stationery next school term. The hardback diary is part of Papier’s solstice collection and features a gorgeous celestial design of stars, planets, the moon and sun. Plus, it can be personalised with their name too. We opened the beautiful blue, purple and gold cover to find helpful pages, including timetable, deadline and calendar sections. Meanwhile, there are month-ahead pages for planning, and a weekly overview covers each individual day.
Towards the end of the diary, we noticed recipe inspiration sections, a place to make notes and even somewhere to jot down the year’s memories. We think your child’s teacher will appreciate using this comprehensive diary all year long. If this is a class present, you may like to add in some mini highlighters (£12, Papier.com) to jazz up their note-making.
Our best buy overall is The Little Botanical Miranda personalised plant for the chic pot, personalisation option and being an ideal addition to a teacher’s desk. Meanwhile, a box of Cadbury’s heroes is a budget buy sure to make them smile. Finally, for some end-of-term relaxation, Spacemasks self-heating eye masks, orange and grapefruit is a unique present offering a moment of well-deserved peace and quiet.
Heading away over the summer? We’ve rounded up some anti-theft bags to buy