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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to post a friendly reminder about school residential trips?

416 replies

ErmNoNoNo · 27/03/2015 23:09

Seems as good a time as any: lots of school posts (as always in AIBU), the wine is flowing (Friday) and the summer term is coming up (come on weather please)...

It seems every year that there are many parents that are genuinely shocked to find out that teacher and TAs who accompany the class on residential school visits do not get paid a single penny more than their normal wage.

Yes, we volunteer. Yes, we deal with all the tears. Yes, we are on duty 24 hours and sometimes get VERY little sleep. Yes, we deal with the vomit. Yes, we encourage and make sure they get the absolute best out of their time there. Yes, we deal with all medical issues even though, surprisingly we are not qualified. Yes, when its mid-week, we also have to go back into work the next day.

Yes... we would really, really appreciate it if you just say 'thank you', when you pick your child up at he end of it.

(all you REASONABLE parents, I know you do - but honestly, the amount of parents who think we get paid for this would shock you)

OP posts:
cardibach · 28/03/2015 20:50

Oh, and I teach secondary.

Sixgeese · 28/03/2015 21:00

Senior Management in schools do go on trips too. DH is a Teacher and one of the senior staff in the leadership of his large secondary school (ranked 4th in the Leadership team), he is going on his second school trip of the year in the Easter Holidays, and no he doesn't get paid extra and yes he loses his holiday to take other peoples children away.

And when DS goes on his first overnight school trip this year the Deputy Head is camping in a field with them with the head coming for part of the time too.

I try to remember to say thank you after the Rainbow sleepovers and cub camps that the DC go on, as if it wasn't for people giving up their time, my DC would miss out.

Hulababy · 28/03/2015 21:03

Yes some SMT do go on residentials. At Dd's primary the headteacher always went on the y3/4 residential to Centre Parcs. The girls loved it :)

Hulababy · 28/03/2015 21:08

SilverBirch - I'm concerned about this friend of yours. She seems very lacking in knowledgeable of basic education professional standards for teachers and TAs. Ongoing training is compulsory. Let's face it - surely everyone knows about the 5 days INSET teachers have every year at least, even if they don't know about other professional development and also about how pay and promotion is linked to professional standards etc.

fredfredsausagehead1 · 28/03/2015 21:22

As a parent it never crossed my mind wether teachers got paid extra or not as my main concern was always my child who I was leaving with them for a few nights

In my warped mind I assumed a) that they were being paid their normal salary and this was part of the job description and b) that when teachers were taking their pupils on residential a they were not doing it for recognition or thanks from parents but actually they were doing it for the CHILDREN. for their development, confidence, for their genuine care etc.

Leaving my child in the cafe of an adult for a few nights I would be really concerned if money or hours worked was really on their mind

Silly me!

fredfredsausagehead1 · 28/03/2015 21:23

Forgot to add that it is also natural to,say a heartfelt thank you but. Lot of parents forget as they are so concerned with how their cc have survived and getting them home!

Otters2 · 28/03/2015 21:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

spanieleyes · 28/03/2015 21:35

well, as you have discovered, it is not part of a teacher's job description and our salary doesn't include an overnight element! But yes, we are doing it because we believe children benefit from it, why else would anyone want to spend their own time away from their families with vomitting, crying children sleeping fitfully if at all and pretending that abseiling down the side of a wooden tower is the bees knees!

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 28/03/2015 21:41

Esiotrot. I do get in can be a pride thing but if you can't afford to send your dcs on a school day trip. No shame most of us have been there you should go in and speak to them. (School). They have money set aside in the education system. They can't penilise a child because of hardship

AnneElliott · 28/03/2015 22:09

I agree that teachers should be thanked, as should anyone who does something for you or your child. However, I do find these threads a bit whingey.

As a beaver leader I take annual leave to take other people's kids away, and also pay for the privilege. Teachers are not the only ones that go above and beyond - most dedicated professionals do in my experience.

Philoslothy · 28/03/2015 22:33

I agree that the thread is whingey and not doing teachers any favours. It does not represent the teachers I have worked with. I also agree that is polite to just thank people generally, teachers are not a special case

Permanentlyexhausted · 28/03/2015 23:43

fredfred Leaving my child in the cafe of an adult for a few nights I would be really concerned if money or hours worked was really on their mind

Tbh I would be really worried about the sort of parent who couldn't give a flying fuck about the health or wellbeing of the adult to whom they are entrusting their children.

I hope that helps you with prioritising your concerns!

zipzap · 28/03/2015 23:55

I think it's great that there are some teachers who are prepared to take dc on trips.

However, I hate the fact that primary school kids are sent on residential trips. It's too early. And the fact that despite the fact that there aren't enough spaces for everybody on the trip (my dc are at a big school!) so they can't take the entire year even if everybody says yes, they don't organise anything decent for those left behind.

It bugs me that they stress the importance of doing a whole load of team building and outdoorsy activities, which could all be done relatively cheaply locally and without the need to stay away. But no - they take about 3/5 of the dc away to do these things. And the rest get to stay behind and do a 'special topic' which has so far been a rehash of a topic they did in Y3 again. and again. If the activities are that important to a child's education then why are they not sorting out similar activities for those dc left behind? And if they are not important enough for those left behind to need to do then why do any of them need to do them? They can't have it both ways to suit themselves!

And then if primary schools didn't send dc on residential trips, they wouldn't need primary school teachers to give up their precious spare time to be on the trips...

fredfredsausagehead1 · 29/03/2015 07:56

Calm down permenantlymexhausted nobody has said they don't give a flying fuck. I know teachers are not in it for the money. I know I'm completely spoiled that at my dc school the teachers are exceptional and caring and some altruistic and put the children first WHILE THEY ARE IN THEIR CARE. Of course I care and respect them greatly.

Mehitabel6 · 29/03/2015 08:21

Now 265 posts still arguing about whether or not to give a simple thank up you if someone has looked after your child in their free time. Unbelievable!
If I understand it correctly the general opinion is that some people do it automatically, as good manners and because they appreciate it, some would do it but because teachers whinge and expect it they won't- and some don't approve of their child going inthe first place.

Binkybix · 29/03/2015 08:50

I honestly don't think anyone has said that teachers should not be thanked. Some people have said teachers should be thanked but that they also find threads like this a bit whiney. You're representing it inaccurately.

lem73 · 29/03/2015 09:09

Personally I automatically thank people because that's how I am. If I have forgotten to thank TAs or teachers after a school trip it's because I am happy to see my child back safe and sound. I didn't realise it was so important to some staff to hear the words there and then. However I know that the TAs who accompany the children on our school's residential trips volunteer for it every year because they enjoy it.
Also I show my gratitude to the school staff for what they do on a daily basis by giving gifts at Christmas and the end of year. I have never been thanked for these gifts but that's fine.

soapboxqueen · 29/03/2015 09:15

Lem nobody was suggesting there should be a thank you parade or that teachers 'need' thanks. I do think it is a common courtesy. I say thank you everyday.

As I said previously, thanks from parents is lovely but I would settle for not being openly hostile.

WayfaringStranger · 29/03/2015 10:11

I'd be interested in seeing the posts where people said "some would do it but because teachers whinge and expect it they won't".

teacherwith2kids · 29/03/2015 10:12

"As I said previously, thanks from parents is lovely but I would settle for not being openly hostile."

This. Absolutely.

As I said earlier, I had very few 'thank yous' at the end of a recent residential BUT one of those was very special to me. Combined with the fact that all but 1 child was picked up on time, there was no parental hostility at pickup, and (so far - still time) no follow-up complaints, mean that I am very, very happy with how it went and feel entirely recompensed by the memories of the children's successes.

My side note about childen remembering to say 'thank you' to those who e.g. served food, ran the activities etc is a general comment on manners, not a specific comment about their manners to me IYSWIM?

ssd · 29/03/2015 10:20

op, I hear you...one question I have is how do we thank the teachers when our kids come home and we dont get to see the teachers? would you suggest writing a letter of thanks and sending it in? I would like to be able to say thanks but A. teenagers are mortified if you come anywhere near school and B. often the teacher is caught up with something and you dont get the chance to thank them.

00100001 · 29/03/2015 14:37

SSD an email is sufficient :) Just "thank you for taking X away, they hada great time etc"

ssd · 29/03/2015 22:13

thanks, will do that.

Maycausesideeffects · 29/03/2015 23:01

Well having read our new trip policy which is written in lots of legal jargon a number of staff at my school will not be doing residential trips next year. I know SLT have to cover themselves and the school but if something was to go wrong I would be in so much trouble. We would also have to make up any financial shortfall and we already have enough problems chasing deposits and late payments.

Trips are run on a voluntary basis. We dont need to do them to go through threshold as there are other things we can do in school instead.

I like the thanks from parents but I would prefer it if all parents turned up on time to collect their treasures.

chickenfuckingpox · 29/03/2015 23:13

i would be more than happy for you to cancel them to be honest my daughter has never been able to go on them as they cost a fortune i looked it up once and for £100 more i could take the entire family to the same place and do the same free things why should i spend out £700/800 on a trip that lasts a few days has nothing to do with the topic they are doing is of no real educational value will seriously deplete family funds and then i have to say thank you on top of it umm no she doesn't go and im still expected to be grateful that she can stay in school and be a burden on the teaching staff who had to stay behind (and yes it was put to me that way are you sure you cant afford it she will be one of three children "missing out" and we will have to do something with them in school time you know)

im surprisingly ungrateful apparently Grin