I agree with Lucy, but it seems to be tradition now, and also it is nice to show teachers that they are appreciated (if they are) I do also buy the teaching assistants. But I always buy 2 tins of sweets or biscuits (I admit usually on offer in September) 1 for the dinner ladies (in the kitchen) and 1 for the dinner nannies (lunchtime supervisors). Not many remember the hard 3 hour graft of the kitchen staff, my mam done it many years ago, and my kids have always taken something in for the kitchen staff, who are always very appreciative. Not that its the reason I do it, but my kids get good treatment from the ladies giving the food out! Some keep a portion of their favourite if its running out and they are late in the queue, and I don't know them from adam.