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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

School trips - holidays for teachers

136 replies

QueenBing · 25/06/2017 18:03

I'll just kick this off by saying I am a secondary school teacher and for the third year in a row I am organising the annual MFL trip to Germany. AIBU to request that people/parents/fellow teachers/parents kindly effing STOP referring to this trip as a "holiday". And believe me, they're not joking. The extra work that's gone into organising it. The lack of sleep while I'm there. The pressure of looking after 40 teenagers. None of which I begrudge doing, but it is not an effing holiday.

OP posts:

cardibach · 25/06/2017 19:10

I work in an independent school and, contrary to a PP's information, our ratios are the same as state. I have taken groups to Europe (not as trip organiser) and while I do enjoy it )or I wouldn't go in my holidays...) it isn't a break in any sense.
Mind you, I work in boarding, so I'm constantly responsible for a group of teenage girls!

1ofthesedays · 25/06/2017 19:11

I'm surprised by all the trips and residentials that seem to be the norm now.

My kids are in state schools, and they have a lot less trips than me or DH used to have when we were at (state) school ourselves. In secondary, we were going to at least 2 foreign countries a year. It was great! Now there's barely a trip a year.

On another note, I am puzzled by parents who compare kids going on trips in term times, and missing school to go on holiday with their parents. Seriously

2ducks2ducklings · 25/06/2017 19:11

I work in a primary school office and occasionally have helped out on a day trip. I found it mentally exhausting. You can't for a second let your guard down!
There isn't enough money in the world that would entice me to go on any sort of residential trip.
It's the same with Brownie/Guides/scouts trips. All run completely by volunteers who also, mostly, work full time during the week too! Saints, all of them.

Iris65 · 25/06/2017 19:12

One minor success I had when a teacher was to never, ever have accompanied an overnight school trip! Not bad for a 20 year career!

BoneyBackJefferson · 25/06/2017 19:13

Oh yes school trips.
those relaxing times when you get to sleep in the corridor because two children are threatening to beat the crap out of each other. (not always from the same school), or the to keep the teenage lovers apart (one time my colleague spent on the balcony).

Or when you return the children only to find that some parents can't be bothered to collect them from you.

Such relaxing, wonderful carefree times.

1ofthesedays · 25/06/2017 19:14

I work in an independent school and, contrary to a PP's information, our ratios are the same as state.

Really? When the kids are in a class of 10 or 15, as opposed to 30, just to start with, the rations really are not the same in all the schools. Not saying that all schools function the same way, far from it, but I have seen friends going on trip with a lot more adults in private than in state- where my own kids are.

Eggandchipsfortea93 · 25/06/2017 19:14

I don't think the trips are a holiday for teachers, however my DDs school used to run a 6th form trip to Africa, which was hideously expensive. I asked to meet the 6th form head to understand why they did this (which excluded all but about 25 kids on cost), rather than some camping/bunkhouse and conservation work, for example, in the uk. It seemed to me that there were cheaper trips which would provide a lot of the team building and life experience activities.
His reply, repeated like a mantra was that trips to Africa were what the teachers wanted to do, so that was the reason, pure and simple!
Coincidentally, that year they had so few kids apply for the trip that it didn't run, and hasn't since. So I'm not suggesting trips are holidays for the teachers, but at some schools, they are certainly seen as being chosen according to the teachers preferences, not based on what's best value for the kids...

CauliflowerSqueeze · 25/06/2017 19:18

I think she means the ratio of staff:students on the trip, not in the classroom.

bungle99 · 25/06/2017 19:21

OP, I applaud teachers who have to take pupils on residential trips. This is definately NOT a holiday for teachers. You also lose all your evenings looking after other people kids and cAn imagine how stressful it must be. I would hate to do it. I am not a teacher but I don't think teachers should have to do any residential trips at all. Its not fair.

isittheholidaysyet · 25/06/2017 19:26

I realise it's not a holiday for you and thank you for all you do.
If you don't enjoy it, is there any way you can get out of it?

(Another thought with the 'holiday' thing is that I (in the past) and DH in the present, have been involved in taking groups of young people away on residential trips and we totally see it as a 'holiday'. We used/use annual leave to do it and it is so rewarding and refreshing. Though absolutely exhausting of course. It is the highlight of DH's year. I think he prefers it to family holidays.
I wonder if behaviour is worse because it's a 'school' thing?
Is there anyway people like us who enjoy it, could go on these trips as adult helpers, to free up teachers who don't enjoy it?)

Grilledaubergines · 25/06/2017 19:28

YANBU OP! The stupidity of some parents on this subject is shocking.

How can looking after other people's' children be described as a holiday. If it's term time, they are working during the day but don't get to clock off during evening/night hours. If it's during the school holidays then they are giving up their time entirely.

Another thing which shocks me is the inability of some parents to not say thank you to the teachers upon return of the school coach/airport collection. Let alone a card and gift.

(I'm in no way connected with teaching. Other than having teachable children.)

Whatsername17 · 25/06/2017 19:29

I agree that is bad form, Egg. We tend to run trips that link to our subjects. I teach Drama, hence the trip to the West End. Pupils engage in dance and drama workshops and see a show. The trip wouldn't run if I didn't choose to run it. I do it because it promotes my subject and helps my take up numbers for gcse. Our school have a rule that each year group must have a residential trip. In yr7, it's a sports activity in England, year 8 and 10 go skiing, year 9 go to Wales, year 11 go to New York. The pupils were consulted for the year 10 and 11 trips. We spend ages requesting quotes to get the best possible price for pupils. It is awful that some kids are unable to afford it and our head will pay up to 50% for pupils who are on pupil premium. He offers payment arrangements for those who are not pp but need help.

Gingerandgivingzerofucks · 25/06/2017 19:30

We aren't allowed to do residential so in term time, so we have to give up our holiday times. I think the worst part for me is arriving back, some parents just silently drive off whilst others, despite being told eta and then phoned when we're an hour out, STILL DONT FUCKING TURN UP! The amount of times I've had to phone and ask if they can come and get their child after knackering journey home is ridiculous. Pisses me right off and I feel really bad for the poor children who stand there looking forlorn.

natwebb79 · 25/06/2017 19:32

MFL teacher here too. I hear yer. I can't say I was particularly devastated when my school announced that they didn't need me to run a 5 day trip to Paris for 90 13 year olds any more.

superram · 25/06/2017 19:38

I am off to Dorset with 60 year 10s tomorrow-on the whole my head is supportive but my colleague is grey with the stress of organising-it has taken her hours! I am looking forward to Iceland at easter though-worth giving up my holiday for! However, my childcare costs will be more than the trip....,

cardibach · 25/06/2017 19:40

1ofthese - Cauliflower is correct - I meant ratios on trips. Classroom ratios are, of course, much better, but since the staff places are determined by the travel companies we have the same ratios on residentials.

1ofthesedays · 25/06/2017 19:44

I got that, but in the cases I mention, there are more teachers because the classes are smaller in the first place, so for the same amount of pupils altogether the quota of adults is different.
Not sure travel companies have a say on the number of adults, as long as there are at least a minimum?

AnneElliott · 25/06/2017 19:48

As a beaver leader I can count firm it's definitely not a holiday! When DS arrived back from his year 6 trip, I brought bottles of wine for each teach that had gone - I'm pretty sure they needed it!

cardibach · 25/06/2017 19:50

I work in secondary. We don't travel in classes, so the number of pupils per class is irrelevant. As PPs have explained, travel companies find a number of free teacher places per however many pupil places. To take more, you would have to pay and teachers are aleady giving up free time so wouldn't do that. It might be different in primary, but I think ratios are set by local authorities and for primary pupils are often below 1-10 anyway.

maddiemookins16mum · 25/06/2017 19:54

I recall my DD going on her yr 6 trip to the Isle of Wight. I recall her teachers' faces upon return.
But hey, don't be "that teacher" and think all parents are the same, we're not.

GreeboIsACutePussPuss · 25/06/2017 19:56

YANBU, I wonder how many of these parents genuinely don't realise the amount of planning, paperwork and stress that goes into it though.

I was having a conversation with a mum from DDs school about trips and she was going on about how easy it would be to do a particular trip she wanted because she'd done it for a whole class party and it was so easy and she couldn't understand why the teacher had said no when she suggested it, a few of us that work in different schools and or do Guiding and Scouting sat explaining to her exactly what we've had to do for our trips this year and the look as she realised how much harder it is than just organising a kids party was absolutely priceless.

seven201 · 25/06/2017 19:56

You need a holiday after filling in the forms, writing all the cover work, dealing with classes when you get back who have done something random instead of the cover work, let alone the stress of the trip itself!

I went on a school ski trip a few years ago - over 24 hours each way on a coach and I was sat next to the toilet occasionally having to hold hair back when teenagers puked! That was half term so I was bloody exhausted as I essentially worked 15 weeks without a break from the kids. I used to have a 'normal' job and I do realise teaching has great holidays, but it's best for everyone if teachers and kids get a break from each other! It was fun but I'm not doing it ever again!

annandale · 25/06/2017 19:56

It's lovely hearing that some teachers do get something out of the trips, because I am so grateful. As a volunteer for a youth group i help with camping and hostelling trips every year, but just refused to go this time because they are so utterly knackering, I couldn't cope. I wouldn't think badly of any teacher who just refused to do them. Agree though that imo all trips should be as local and affordable as possible.

GreeboIsACutePussPuss · 25/06/2017 20:06

I work in an independent school and, contrary to a PP's information, our ratios are the same as state.

I think that must depend on the school/where you are going cardibach I work in state and DD is at independent, they definitely have less children per adult on trips than I do.

TeenAndTween · 25/06/2017 20:12

YANBU
Taking 90 y7s to Paris is not a holiday. I can only begin to imagine the stress the teachers are under.
DD1 did 3 MFL trips at secondary. I am so grateful to the teachers for giving her opportunities we couldn't as a family. DD2 is about to go on her first trip and I am confident she will be in safe hands.

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