To not go on the residential?

[Youthiswastedontheyoung]

I've just started a new p/t teaching role. Towards the end of the academic year the whole year group go on a residential which is about 3.5 hours away, for a full school week.
I have a just-turned 4 yo and other academic commitments outside of school.
AIBU to say I can't attend the residential?
As an aside, my mum (love her) thought teachers got paid for any additional hours regarding this. She was surprised to learn I'd just be getting my standard pay!

And where in our contract is it?

Nope!
Just say from the start ‘sorry I can’t go as have a little one and other commitments’ end of story! Then ignore any further comments.
being part time I don’t think it’s fair to expevt you to anyway…. Only time I’d go in your shoes is if they let you take the time back for a term time holiday another week!

I don’t think that’s a fair comment… I’ve read a few rude responses but in general I think parents appreciate all teachers do. We did a collection throughout primary years for our teachers and majority put in and we got some awesome gifts..
Maybe a newsletter needs to point out to parents that teachers volunteer their time… but you’ll always get 1 or 2 people think it’s a ‘holiday’ for teachers 😂
my friend just went on residential as a parent helper… she was shattered when she got home!… described herself as ‘broken’

True :)

I had a friend who was a teacher. She went on the residentials despite loathing them, because it benefited the children. Plus, it was one of those “voluntary but somehow not really” things about the job, especially when she was one of the staff members without caring responsibilities, and she broadly loved being a teacher (just not all aspects thereof).

I’m a lawyer, when I was FT I worked a minimum of 25 hours a week unpaid overtime, because it was an unwritten requirement of the job, and I loved my job.

It’s life unfortunately, but for people with young children it’s shit.

Oops, quote fail! My apologies @FrippEnos, I was trying to quote @Janedoe82

I don’t loathe them - I enjoy them. They are not any kind of holiday. Thinking of the hours I have worked this week doing one, it isn’t safe, I was insensible from lack of sleep, my age, and the ratio and responsibility. I was in charge of 19 children this time, plus the girl from the office. My ds is 18 now, but I would think twice about sending him if I had my time again.

And, if any of my parents expressed anything like the bellend posts about it being a holiday for me, or no big deal, I would stop immediately.

I've worked in schools where the teachers who didn't go either provided cover for the teachers that did or provided entertainment for the students who couldn't go on the Residential.

As you are PT I wouldn't expect you to be going anyway.

I would say I'm bored of reading this thread again

When I am bored of MN threads, I just don’t open them. Only the terminally stupid would continue to do so.

What stands out to me is that you're part-time. Given that, I don't see how you can be expected to go on a full week's residential, because you don't work at the school every day from Monday to Friday. Makes no sense to me.

If you only work PT & had to go for the whole week would you get paid extra for your usual non working hours or is that expected to be worked unpaid?
I think if it's voluntary & you have care responsibilities then you can say you can't go & there shouldn't be any backlash unless it's in your contract that you must attend.

I used to teach, had to arrange child care, arranged and attended the residential every year. No you don't get paid extra, you don't even get your time back. Maybe being in education isn't for you.

@Santina Would part-time teachers typically be expected to attend? I'm just curious as to whether that's normal practice, perhaps it is.

If you decide to go, you will have to be paid for any days that you would not usually have worked. So if you usually work a three day week, you would need to be paid for the two extra days.

Yes, part time or full time, you need to be doing your bit.

That surprises me, tbh. If you only worked two days a week, you might have a second p-t job that you'd have to take time off from, for example.

No! Part time teaching staff can neither be expected nor directed to work on the days that they would not normally be in school (as detailed in the Teachers Pay and Conditions document.)

Very well put @ProCon 👏👏

Apologies, I haven't read the entire thread but just a couple of points that popped into my mind.

First of all, I would say it would be perfectly OK for you to say no. You work part time. I know school won't pay you for the additional hours so you'd be there a full week and be paid for 15 hours whilst your full time colleagues will be there the same amount of time and paid a full time wage. Not entirely fair and I'm not sure they'd expect you to do this? (But then, it is a school, and they do rely heavily on goodwill and people working outside of their hours, we'd never get the job done if we didn't).

If you feel the need to explain yourself, you could simply say you have caring duties, that's why you took on a part time role in the first place.

Perhaps a full time colleague would be happy to go in your place? At my school there's always people who fancy giving it a go, some people quite enjoy the experience.

I think it's all too easy to worry about the what ifs - I think maybe you should have a chat with colleagues and just say you don't think you can go as you have commitments - you might find that they give you the solution and you've worried unnecessarily.

No, it isn’t. Santina is talking rubbish.

@BruFord not where I used to work. Why should someone working full time still have to give up their time for nothing but someone working part time doesn't 🤔

No one can be forced to go on residentials whether full time or part time. The OP was asking about having to attend a residential on her days off. I know of part time staff who attend shorter residentials (on their actual working days) but not the week long ones.