Christmas Gifts From Pupils

New MORI research, conducted on behalf of the Times Educational Supplement, reveals that around four in five teachers (82%) received at least one present from their pupils last Christmas. Primary school teachers were more likely than their colleagues in secondary schools to benefit from pupils' largesse: almost all primary school teachers received at least one gift last year (97%) compared to seven in 10 (68%) secondary school teachers. Although a handful of respondents reported receiving presents costing in excess of £100, teachers' estimate that their pupils' typically spent an average of £4.30.

According to teachers, the best type of gift they can or have received from pupils is a card, note or drawing done by the pupils themselves (25%). Just under two in five teachers (17%) prefer to receive a bottle of wine, champagne or spirits, while chocolates and sweets are the favourite present choice of another one in eight teachers (12%). However, a large minority of teachers either say that any present they receive is the best kind of gift for them ("it's the thought that counts"), or that they don't want or expect presents from their pupils.

Ornaments, vases, photo frames and candles are the presents most frequently cited by teachers as something they don't want to unwrap: one in six (16%) say this is the worst type of gift to receive. Chocolates may also prove to be a risky choice: although a favourite among one in 10 (12%) teachers, they are unpopular with a similar proportion (14%).

The MORI Teachers' Omnibus is an annual multi-client survey. We interview a representative sample of 1,000 maintained primary and secondary school teachers across England and Wales. The next wave of the Teachers Omnibus will run September-November 2006.

Technical details

• Fieldwork for the MORI Teachers' Omnibus covered a representative sample of 1,000 primary and secondary school teachers in England and Wales.
• Fieldwork was conducted between 4 and 25 November 2005.
• Results are based on all respondents unless otherwise stated.
• Data are weighted to the known profile of teachers in England and Wales by sex, age and phase (primary or secondary).
• Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to multiple responses, computer rounding or the exclusion of don't know/not stated categories.
• An asterisk (*) represents a value of less than half of one percent, but not zero.

Q1 Thinking about the gifts which your pupils gave you last Christmas, what would you estimate was the typical price range or average spend for the types of gift you were given?

Q2 And how much would you estimate was spent on the most expensive gift you were given (even if you did not accept the gift)? Base: All giving a figure of £1 or more (731)

Q3 Thinking about the kinds of gift which pupils have given you/might give you at Xmas, what for you is the best kind of gift to receive, if any? Q4 Thinking about the kinds of gift which pupils have given you/might give you at Christmas, what for you is the worst kind of gift to receive, if any?