WITH the last day of school approaching fast, many parents are turning their mind to present-buying.

Handing over a present for teacher has become a tradition.

But not all parents have welcomed the ritual – with some saying that they feel pressured by others in the playground into buying more expensive gifts.

Candida Hutchinson, headteacher at The Croft Primary School in Old Town, said that she had sent a poem to parents – telling worried mums and dads that a ‘thank you’ was thanks enough for her teachers.

The rhyme read: “We do not presume to gain, from developing you child’s brain. We need no presentation, just a ‘thanks’ and your appreciation.”

Candida, who has been headteacher at the Marlborough Lane school since it opened in 2012, added that teachers still received presents.

“It’s kind, especially when we ask for so much support with fundraisers over the year.

“Our favourite presents are the homemade ones, be it from Lego, chocolate or crafts.”

Yesterday, we spoke to busy mums in the town centre and outside the retail outlet village on Kemble Drive.

Some told us that they felt pressured into buying gifts – while others felt there was no problem.

Heidi Evans, 41, from Stratton, said: “When we were small we only had to buy for the teacher.”

The mum-of-two this week bought two sets of presents – with a gift for each of her children’s teachers and teaching assistants. “It can be an expensive time.”

Becca Collins’ four children range in age from 10 to 19. The Calne mum said: “I think there’s more pressure [to buy presents] now. If you don’t you feel guilty.”

In Clinton’s on Regent Street, shop assistants said that the £3 box of Thornton's chocolates were selling well.

Also flying off the shelves were small soft toys made to look like Disney and Marvel superhero characters. The toys, called Tsum Tsums, are priced at 99p each.

“Some guy came in and said he had eight teachers to buy for – he bought one toy for each of them,” a Clinton’s shop assistant said.

Earlier this month Mumsnet, a website forum used by parents, said that one in 10 parents spend £25 or more on an end-of year present for their teacher.

According to the organisation’s poll, which quizzed over a thousand Mumset users, more than half (57 per cent) said they buy a gift on behalf of their family for their child’s teacher. A quarter said that they bought a present through a class collection.

Under half of those asked (44 per cent) said they felt pressurised into buying an end-of-year present for their child’s teacher.

Justine Roberts, Mumset founder, said: "Most parents are really grateful for teachers' efforts and like to show their appreciation at the end of the school year.

“The main worry is how to avoid gifting the same teacher multiple boxes of Roses and bottles of cheap plonk."