Do I HAVE to go on the residential?

[rainsbows]

Private prep school. I'm the only class teacher with young children so I can't fathom leaving them for a week though the trip involves my class (and another). Do I really have to go or can I request I cover another class whilst another member of staff goes?

Sorry I don’t know, but am interested to find out. I have a friend who teacher in independent senior school and runs the residential trip every year, and she took her husband and baby with her when her smallest one was young, so she still saw them mornings and evenings.

I couldn't do that unfortunately as both girls are at school/nursery themselves. I just don't want to be away from them for five days. I'm also part time 0.7 so even if I did go, I'd only go for 70% of the week. As I do three pick ups for my own girls, Id struggle to get childcare arranged.

It's a tricky one, you need to check your contract. With it being private I would suspect they'd sneak in a clause about it. It will almost certainly have been a specific expectation in the job spec when you applied. Even if they can't legally hold you to it you need to consider the impact on refusing to your career (and your class). It's one trip.

As a teacher myself I did go away when my kids were little, it was a bit of a wrench but we made it work.

Are you a single parent? If so I would think they might be more understanding. Would a DH needing to go away for a week on business be posting this though?

As above, I'm part time and so do 3/5 pickups myself for my own kids. How am I suppose to do that? Even if I went for 70% they'd still need someone else to cover me for the rest of the week.

Also relevant that you haven't said. Did you take up this post pre or post kids? If it's the former and you previously attended and demonstrated your commitment they would be more likely to cut you some slack, if the latter and you didn't establish this when you started then I think you are less likely to have a valid argument. The 0.7 part is extra tricky too, I'm not sure how that works. Maybe time back in lieu somehow? You can't leave mid-trip it would mess up the ratios.

Are you a single parent?

The private prep I work at is very understanding about how tricky it is with small children and therefore ask full time staff with older children first. What has happened in the past when they have been really stuck is that they split the week so someone goes for 2/3 days. It helps that the all the yr 6-8 go away the same week and the year 3-5 are off timetable going on day trips and focussing on a theme so any teacher can swap in. Have you spoken to your SMT? The earlier you speak to them the longer they have to sort something. Good luck!

I guess it depends if it’s part of your contract. My husband works away regularly. Although mine are still nursery age we will use after school clubs on days he would pick up when he goes away.

what does your contract say?
my teacher friends in state fall into 3 categories. PE teacher, expected to do faur share of rugby, football tour type things. language teacher, fair share of language (enough staff so not every year). Class teacher, would reasonably volunteer for year trip every few years, not really expected male or female if there is an under 3 in the house. Several never volunteer so expectation is low! Last group are firmly of the view that they are nit contractually obliged.

No I am married and I took this post just this September. I have worked at two schools previously and managed to avoid going on residentials there too.

Tell them you’re happy to do do two long days but need to be around on x day and x day because you look after the children/do school run and have no alternative childcare.

Would anyone else be likely to volunteer to go if you are able to ask?

You said that you just don’t want to be away from them for 5 days, rather than it being impossible for you to go, so are you thinking that you will go if no one else volunteers?

I completely understand not wanting to leave a nursery age child for a week, by the way.

Presumably you read your contract before you started the job. What does it say about residentials? No one here can tell you that.

That's not the most helpful of replies/attitudes. But I'll bite. Is there a reason your DH can't help with pick ups for 1 week a year, even if that means juggling his work commitments/taking leave? Did you do residentials before you had kids or do you see them as an optional extra/something for the other/PE staff to do perhaps? I'll admit I volunteer less often since my kids but hope to get back to it once they are older and never feel guilty as I did more than my fair share when I was younger. Your last post doesn't read well. They are a wonderful part of the job, not something to be avoided at all costs! Perhaps try looking for solutions (I like the suggestion of sharing 2/3 days with other part-timers) rather than just working out how to get out of it?

Speak to the head.

My precious school, some teachers would swap, so the yr 4 teacher went on the yr6 residential and the year 6 teacher taught year 4. They all had a good relationship with the head though so he was very understanding. I’ve been in many schools where you have to go as it’s your class.

But just talk to them!

When your children are older would you go in someone else's place if the answer is yes did ask not to go

Tell them you’re happy to do do two long days but need to be around on x day and x day because you look after the children/do school run and have no alternative childcare.

But OP hasn’t said that she can’t do the days. Do you mean she should pretend that she can’t do it so someone else has to?

Does someone else teach the class for the other two days? Are they going? As it’s a private school can you ask to be paid overtime?

I think you should go.

As a teacher I can say that nobody really wants to go on school camp. Although it is a good way to get to know the children better. If another teacher wanted me to go instead of them with their class I wouldn’t be thrilled.

As a parent I’d want my child’s own teacher to go with them as you are the one they have a relationship with.

My DP has a job which means he's oncall, so he's not reliably available. I don't work 3.5 days as a block either I worked 3.5 days over 5 days. We literally have nobody else who can pick up our children (one at 12.30, one at 3.30).

Previous independent school - my year group never went on residential.

Previous state school - I was pregnant so was allowed to cover another class instead.

Should add the other 1.5 days (split up) are taught by specialist teachers - French, music, science etc. I don't have an obvious jobshare.

Why would you try to avoid residentials?! It sounds like you tried to avoid them before you had children if you said that in your previous two jobs you’d avoided them as well. That attitude wouldn’t go down well in any of the private schools I’ve worked in (5 so far) Is it Monday to Friday? What do you do for picking up on the days when you have parents evenings etc? Is it nearby? Could you do a couple of days and someone else swap in? Sorry loads of questions. I love residentials and have done two this year (one abroad and one in UK) and I have my own child. I’ve already been asked to do another one next year and am already really looking forward to it. It may well come under the ‘reasonable expectation’ clause in your contract. Also did you know about it when you started?

The trip is about 180 miles away.

I hate the thought of being away from my 7yo, never mind the little 3yo.

If my husband isn't oncall he has the children for parents eves otherwise a friend will babysit. He won't know his oncall rota until much nearer the time, it's just not reliable, nor do I have any local friends who are available 12.30-6 in the week to collect and look after my children, they are all 9-5ers.

I am the only class teacher with young children. Either they have no children or teens/20 something's.

I think all you can do is ask. Would there be any compromise in taking your 3 year old with you on the trip and using after school clubs for your eldest?

Speak to the head but i’d have an idea of what you can do instead that week. Who else normally goes? If it’s two classes there must be more than two members of staff surely?