CHRISTMAS-themed pasta, half of a Curly Wurly, a 6ft inflatable giraffe and a behaviour charter from a class, are just some of the more unusual gifts West Yorkshire’s teachers claim to have received from their pupils at Christmas.

The unusual gifts were revealed in a recent survey carried out by Wakefield-based supply teacher agency, PK Education.

More than three quarters of teachers surveyed said they agreed with the practice of pupils giving gifts at Christmas, with the remainder not agreeing with the tradition, with one teacher explaining: “It’s a big pressure on parents who are already stretched at Christmas. Some pupils are aware they aren’t bringing their teacher a gift when other pupils are, solely because their parent has more spare cash.”

One said her wishlist would be to focus more on fun learning and having the children enjoy the classroom and said too much time is focused on paperwork.

If you are thinking of showing your appreciation and buying a teacher a gift this year, then chocolates are what they’d most prefer followed by alcohol - which 30 per cent of teachers indicated - and then, in joint third place, gift vouchers and flowers.

A simple ‘thank you’, however, is highly appreciated by every teacher, with one commenting: “As lovely as it is to get a gift, I get more enjoyment from the ‘thank you’ cards and emails I get from families.”

Lee Carpenter, Director of PK Education, commented on the survey results: “Every teacher appreciates a Christmas gift, whether that’s a physical present or a simple ‘thank you,’ which goes to show it doesn’t cost anything to show your appreciation and make a teacher happy.”

As part of the survey, PK Education also asked teachers what their one wish for education was this Christmas, provoking strong reactions. The majority of teachers said they wanted more funding for education with one respondent commenting: “I’d wish that schools had access to the funding they require to ensure pupils have the best possible start.”