To not go on the residential?

Unless they are really strict about directed time but never seen a school who are for overnights.

Yes residentials are great fun. Taking 60 teens back from New York, getting them on the first flight and telling them that they must not change seats only for them to do the opposite. They had a quick change over to get to another terminal and when they got to the terminal realised that that one child had put their passport into the seat pocket.

The teacher then had to go back where they had come from, got the passport returned and headed back to the next flight only to find they were too late. Another flight was arranged but because the child had previously drunk a very strong energy drink and felt ill they were not allowed on it until they had been to accident and emergency. All the while posting online looking for sympathy after being told not to.

A wait of 6 hours later she was allowed to return to the airport where there were no flights left and they had to book into a hotel. they got home a day later and was met by the mum who gave the teacher a bunch of flowers.

All this time her 4 year waiting desperately for her mum to come home and being disappointed every time they missed the flight.

They were also delayed a day on the way out so the teacher has all the claim forms to fill in.

She has refused to go on the residential this month.

Yes they are definitely not a holiday for the teacher.

@Janedoe82 I still don’t quite understand your point. You claim you have a difficult job (not disputing that) and have taken kids on residential, so therefore teachers should just do it and not complain?! That because your job is hard, no one else gets to be complain about being asked to do something which is over and above their job description?

Does your friend also have a small child, a partner with a disability and a part time role (while being asked to do a residential full time)?

I really enjoy residentials. They’re very hard work. I am lucky that my DH was in a position to manage the impact on family life. On the one occasion when a family emergency meant I couldn’t ho, I was excused from the residential immediately.

Senior staff - ie those who are not full time in front of a class - are also in a much better position to take toil or unofficially work a few shorter days on return as they don’t leave a class unsupervised be their absence. I’m not saying all do - senior staff who sign the risk assessments are often the most sleep deprived and responsible of all the adults - but they do have a slightly greater degree of flexibility in their hours.

They are given some information but definitely not all.

I absolutely do and to say that teachers are doing the same thing is so insulting. Information is shared on a need to know basis and that generally doesn’t include the class teachers.

You have absolutely no clue, do you? 😳

Teachers teach. They aren’t social workers or family support workers- stop saying they do the same job- they don’t.

Not to the same extent for the majority of teacher- and I would bet it isn’t the ones that do who are complaining about having to take said children on a residential trip.

Good grief !@Janedoe82. You think teachers don't work with and support traumatised children and their families?

How exactly I am belittling childrens traumas?!
My point is that dealing with horrendous things all day at work makes you realise how ridiculous it is for teachers to have to take on a school trip!!

YANBU- trips are bloody hard work, no one should be “expected” to go, and certainly that has never been my experience.

I say this as a teacher who absolutely loves trips, I have organised and been on loads, and nothing beats the sense of satisfaction watching a kid try something for the first time, whether that’s abseiling, skiing, first time on a plane, first time away from home. It’s brilliant.

But it also very much a JOB and hard work!! Imagine being responsible for 60 teenagers on a plane, or walking up the Eiffel Tower, or up a mountain, knowing it is your name on the risk assessment if anything goes wrong?! Fielding the calls from parents in the middle of the night, sitting up til 2am in the hotel corridor making sure they are in their own rooms, or the little knock on the door when you’ve finally fallen asleep at 3am to say someone’s been sick, or is crying, or is self harming.

My kids are older now so it’s not such a big issue, but when they were little I would have really struggled to leave them.

Oh, you are! Wow 😮 😮😮😮

There is a difference between being aware and dealing with the whole family and being in the family home. It is not the same thing.

And teachers don’t? Are you seriously belittling children’s traumas now?

You know what it is- when you deal with people every day who are experience real trauma and have really crappy lives, you lose patience for people who need to get a grip.

A classic caring response from a caring professional.

No, the government responded to the evidence of 3 in 5 teachers leaving within 5 years citing workload. It’s a huge issue. Let the grown ups sort it out, you clearly aren’t equipped.

The government respond to the unions. Who tend to also moan a lot.
I am not disputing that workloads can be high. What I am disputing is that teachers should not be expected to take their class on residential trips- if they can get out of it fine but to point blank refuse/ no way!

It’s not ‘my narrative’, it’s actual government policy to tackle it!

Do tell me again about your ‘friends’ though. 🙄🙄🙄

I can honestly say that I enjoyed attending residentials too. Some were activity types, some more cultural to France. Would I describe them as a holiday? Absolutely not. They were VERY hard work!

As for every teacher you know managing to tutor on the side and not finding it stressful, I think your experience may be the exception rather than the rule. It does not mean that because a few manage to do it, that all teachers' workloads must therefore be OK. I must admit, I know a lot of teachers (from my many years of working in the profession). Not one of them tutors! I guess we have different experiences!

I am absolutely not trolling- just telling the truth from my own social circle. May not fit your narrative but doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

Incidentally she js also in a senior position- I imagine the lack of moaning is why this is the case.

You are just trolling now. Not biting.

Stop moaning! My best friend is a teacher- loves going abroad on trips!! And never refuses to go- if anything would be raging if she didn’t get.