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Original poster

No A level geography field trip

21 replies

OneHandFlapping · 10/09/2014 19:34

DD tells me that there is to be no A level geography field trip this year (it's usually to Iceland) because of staffing issues - one member of staff has a young baby, another has some other reason why she can't go, which only leaves one teacher able to go.

This sounds pretty feeble to me. Shouldn't they be able to recruit supply staff for this trip? Or take non-geography staff? Or parents?

OP posts:
bronya · 10/09/2014 19:51

You do know that teachers don't get paid extra for field trips, don't you? They would have to pay supply staff, which would make the trip extremely expensive, and that would be unfair on the one member of contracted staff going, who'd only receive his/her usual salary (no extra for evenings/weekends etc).

PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 19:53

There's no way they could afford to hire extra staff and parents aren't going to be able to teach the curriculum or help the kids get the most from the trip

youbethemummylion · 10/09/2014 19:56

Iceland? Is it private school? We went to Hull!

FuzzyWizard · 10/09/2014 20:04

It would be a prohibitively expensive trip, supply teachers cost an awful lot of money. Either you pass the cost onto the parents meaning a place on the trip would cost thousands or the school pays for it. Any Head who agreed to subsidise a trip in this way would be behaving irresponsibly IMO. They would be spending a huge amount of money on a small and probably already privileged group of pupils. The school don't need to give any explanation or excuse for not running the trip. It's an extra. These teachers have very good reasons for not running the trip but it would have been fine if they'd just not fancied it this year too. The fact that they have offered an explanation shows that they are the type that go above-and-beyond usually. Maybe they are tired of their goodwill and unpaid time being taken for granted?

SwedishEdith · 10/09/2014 20:05

I would have thought Iceland is a bit risky at the moment anyway

Leeds2 · 10/09/2014 20:41

My DD went to Iceland for a GCSE trip, Year 11. They had two geography members of staff, and two non geography members of staff. I would've thought it would be quite difficult to go with just one geography teacher unless, being A Level, it is a particularly small group.

bloodyteenagers · 10/09/2014 21:00

Teachers like to spend time with their own families.
Teachers sometimes simply cannot be bothered with all the added stress, responsibility and lack of sleep to go on residentials.
Other teachers from other departments, erm, well then who teaches their students, or doesn't that count?
Supply teachers, cost a fortune, and don't want all the stress etc either. And who can blame them? I wouldn't want to do it.

If it's so important, why not take your own child?

Original poster
OneHandFlapping · 10/09/2014 22:07

I can take my own child, (although others may not be so lucky) but it will completely lack the geography field trip aspects of the visit.

I thought field trips were part of the syllabus for geography A level, not an optional extra. Admittedly not necessarily Iceland.

It's not a state school.

OP posts:
GirlsTimesThree · 10/09/2014 22:30

I've just asked my DD who did geography A level this year. She says a field trip is 'kind of essential' because you have to use what you've learned for the geography skills element (2 or 3 essays). However, she spent her few days up to her knees in a river in the Peak District!
Our school tends to run the big trips for any subjects biannually so that everyone gets a chance to go on one in their GCSE years and one in their AS/A level years. Might that be the case with your school? Not much use if she needs those skills for AS, I guess..

scarlettsmummy2 · 10/09/2014 22:33

I did a level geography (and got an A surprisingly), and I have no recollection of going on a field trip. We certainly didn't have anything residential. This was at a good grammar that won Sunday Times school of the year.

friendface · 10/09/2014 22:42

DS has just finished A level geography - no trip to Iceland, just a weekend in the Lake District. The fieldwork component of his board (AQA) could have been completed via a day trip in the local area. There was also an option to avoid fieldwork all together. So no, she will in no way be disadvantaged by not going to Iceland! Although I agree it would have been a lovely extra

Johnogroats · 10/09/2014 22:42

We went to Arran and got very very wet. I had a miserable time ( not related to the geography). Perhaps they could have some local trips....a lot of what we did could have been done on South Downs or on a day trip to the coast.

Picturesinthefirelight · 10/09/2014 22:46

I bet families like myself who just about manage to get the fees together are heaving a sigh if relief at not having to pay for an expensive trip

I have told the dc that we can't afford foreign trips as school is expensive enough. Dd paid for herself to go to France.

Seriouslyffs · 10/09/2014 22:47

DD just got an A in AS level including full marks on one paper (admittedly not the part that covered the field trip) based on a weekend in Dorset.
Do check that they are going to be able to cover the skills requirements; it can be done on day trips.

ravenAK · 10/09/2014 22:53

They could probably take non-Geography staff. But perhaps none of them want to go?

Or maybe the one Geog-er doesn't fancy being the only subject specialist. Or maybe that person doesn't have the level of experience to actually lead a trip - the school I teach at requires a track record in running UK residentials before you get to take students off to Foreign Parts.

Supply wouldn't be an option as they don't tend to be up for finishing at 1am, earliest, & back at it by 6am, with no extra pay...or for the added level of 'loco parentis' responsibility. Even if the school could afford to pay for it, they wouldn't know the kids - there's absolutely no way I'd agree to run a residential with supply staff!

It's a shame, but realistically, field trips are a HUGE level of work, cost, & stress to staff involved. Lots of teachers simply won't consider getting involved with them at the best of times, for perfectly valid reasons.

intheenddotcom · 11/09/2014 20:40

On AQA you don't have to do a field trip just be taught about one and most schools make do with a day in the local area.

If for whatever reason teachers don't want to go, then they don't have to go. It's not a feeble excuse, they don't need an excuse. They don't get paid to go, have to miss time with their family and often give up there holiday. Most people in most other professions would kick up a right stink if they were asked to do that.

intheenddotcom · 11/09/2014 20:41

*their not there.

stonecircle · 11/09/2014 22:15

weekend in Surrey for my A level geographer ....

mumthetaxidriver · 11/09/2014 22:54

Just wondering why would Iceland be risky - have I missed something in the news?

RiversideMum · 12/09/2014 06:36

DSs school do a trip to north Wales. Sounded just the same as the trip I did with my A level!

titchy · 12/09/2014 08:09

Mumthetaxi - one of the volcanoes is active with the potential to spew large quantities of ash cloud, thus cancelled flights a risk.

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