To think teachers shouldn't be drinking on trips?

[Newyeardontcare]

Dc just back from trip overseas. Apparently as soon as they were in their rooms the teachers went to the hotel bar. (The kids snuck down to check on them so they could all go into each other's rooms).Were also drinking wine and cocktails at dinner (before walking kids around an overseas city for an hour to their hotel at 11pm)

Is this normal? In charge of 13yr olds?

@DDNN

Have you actually read the Teacher’s Standards? Can you actually point out any part that says anything about drinking when off duty on a school trip?

I wonder if things have changed since my school trips of the 90’s. Fantastic memories of ski trips from aged 14, drunken candlelit tobogganing at breakneck speeds after hot choc mit rum in mountain bars, that’s pupils and teachers. Hockey tour aged 15 where we blagged our way into seedy clubs and drank ridiculous strength Bacardi and cokes (pe teacher accompanied)....

We all survived then; I imagine things are a lot tighter now, maybe. I personally would expect any teacher taking my 14 yr old to have some wine!

I believe that most education authorities have a policy that demands abstinence when on residentials. I've volunteered on school residentials though and they're bloody hard work and physically and mentally draining! I have memories of rampant nits, body fleas, poop, vomit, A&E, sleeping on the floor in a corridor and a million other disasters in between. As long as nobody is drunk and other staff are tea total then is there really an issue. Reporting and complaining is probably going to result in trouble and no teacher ever volunteering to take a trip for fear of reprisals. When I was that age, I wouldn't have given a shit what the teachers were doing as long as they didn't find our diamond white stash in the dormitory!

@Pawsandnoses most schools now fall outside of LEA control.

@pawsandnoses indeed! We thought we were so clever as we all had our litre bottles of pungent smelling ‘diet coke’ which we necked by the time the coach hit the motorway at the start of the 26 hr journey to the alps.. Disclaimer- I no longer drink despite this debauched view of my life!

You're making assumptions that every teacher was drinking every evening ... based on what a 13 year old saw.
I've accompanied school trips and the adults sort out a rota regarding who is on duty in the evening. This means some have time off (and can therefore have a drink) , others are on duty, responsible for dealing with any issues and therefore don't.
It's hard work taking teenagers on school trips. You give up your free time - don't get paid any extra or get time of in lieu - have to plan all your lessons whilst you're away and are basically on duty 24/7 for most of the trip.
That said, I love doing it as it's great fun albeit exhausting!

How do you know they were all drinking? Because 13 year olds never exaggerate at all. And why did you send him at all, if the city's so dangerous?

There is no teacher in charge of a group of 13 year olds who would believe the children would go to bed when told. It's standard for high jinx to happen. There should have been an adult who was in a position to cope with any situation that could arise. A couple of glasses of wine, okay, anything else not on if no-one was being the "responsible" adult.

OK, I own up, I was a teacher and have had a glass of wine in the evening when the children were in bed. One glass of wine.. And then had to go and sort out the children in the charge of another teacher who did not drink, and had gone to bed and was fast asleep. These kids were running riot. I had to do this, not once, but twice, the same teacher.... I needed another few glasses of wine when I got home....

I used to run trips abroad. Yes we used to have a drink but one or more staff would be 'on duty' and therefore no alcohol for each evening. Those who did drink certainly didn't get drunk. One or two glasses of beer or wine at most, usually in bed by 10pm because frankly herding a hundred 14 year olds around a foreign city is flipping exhausting!

When teacher go on school trips they dont pay so they get the holiday free.Our neighbour loves going on the trips.Once the children are settled down she gets off her face.Her words not mine
She a deputy head of a private school

When teacher go on school trips they dont pay so they get the holiday free

‘The holiday’ 😂😂 Sure, that’s what I call it when I give up my weekends/week off to leave my own children at home and take other people’s children away. I love running trips but they aren’t holidays

I was apparently, according to year 11, WASTED on a recent trip to Paris. Which is amusing because I was pregnant and absolutely not drinking. Teenagers know best though obviously.

There should have been an adult who was in a position to cope with any situation that could arise.

There probably was. OP has only the word of her corridor-creeping 13 year old snitch that says otherwise. And how the fuck would he know unless he personally tasted every one of the teacher’s drinks?

@Beautga if your story is true (doubtful) it's an exception. I know quite a few teachers and none of them consider residentials a holiday. Just as you or I wouldn't consider it a holiday to be on call 24 hours a day looking after a bunch of teenagers and dealing with their illnesses/homesickness/friendship crises/lost passports/impromptu midnight parties etc while abroad.

Quite a few I know only did a few when they were young and refuse now they have families because it's too exhausting and they don't want to be away from their actual families for a week.

Bobfossil - what on earth were you doing that made them think that? Did they catch you swigging gaviscon?

Of course they should be responsible 24/7. I hope you asked for a rota of those teachers staying awake overnight too?

They do not get Isis got 24 hours, only their contracted time.
I’d be more concerned about the children sneaking out of their rooms!!!!

Isis 😂😂 the joys of predicted text and a broken screen. I meant they do not get paid for the 24 hours, only they contracted hours!

I don’t think it’s acceptable but it’s mumsnet and they defend teachers against anything.

@DDNN expenses. That's the funniest thing I've read tonight. Getting expenses on a school trip. We really don't you know!

I have done residentials. I work part time as a TA (mornings only). On residential trips I am only paid for 4 hrs a day. I am most definitely on duty 24hrs a day. On a five day residential I am usually up late settling rowdy kids and on average am woken 3 nights out if the 5 to sort out tears or illness or homesickness.

I am away from my own children for a week and I miss them dreadfully.

My husband usually has to use some of his precious annual leave (that we would otherwise spend together as a family) to cover my abscence.

I am utterly utterly exhausted when I get home.

There is no time in leui. There are rarely any thanks from anyone.

Let's just stop all residentials and then there won't be any complaints from parents who I am sure never have a glass of wine until their own child is 18.

All you teachers getting wages to travel, a free place, AND being allowed drink! I am
As a guide leader, I have to pay exactly the same as the kids to go, take two weeks unpaid from work, and I’m not allowed a single drop!
I knew I shouldn’t have walked out of my QTS degree. Fuckers.

Fuck me. Even the TAs get paid.

It’s fine as long as there is a sober adult in charge each night.
There’s a school near us a few years ago where the teachers got really drunk and one punched the other!
It doesn’t have the best rep and I understand one member of staff got sacked . The parents were really stressed back at home as their kids were texting them and telling them that things weren’t great !
Wasn’t very reassuring!

Also have you checked with the teachers, maybe a group of 13 year olds are exaggerating.