Parents anger at teacher trip

Mike Keegan

October 09, 2008

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Whitegate End Primary in Chadderton

PARENTS of children at a school which closed so staff could jet to Spain for a training course have hit out at the trip.

Twenty-one staff at Whitegate End Primary, in Oldham, went to Barcelona for three days to `promote creative teaching and cultural awareness'.

They left on Friday - with the school closed for the day - and returned on Sunday at a cost of around £271 a head.

Headteacher Adrian Guy defended the trip saying it would have been more expensive to hold it in this country.

But outside the primary, in Chadderton, parents spoke of their anger.

Mum Ann Woolley said the trip `should have been taken in the teachers' own time'.

She said: "If you ask to take your kids out of school they don't allow you to. That's what a lot of the parents are saying."

But not every parent was against the trip.

Clutching a petition she had brought to show backing, Collete Ryan hit out at critical parents and accused them of 'sour grapes'.

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Tezza, Tyldesley (09/10/2008 at 10:41)

I feel that the problem here seems to be that they went to Barcelona! And not Morecombe.

Mum Ann Woolley said the trip `should have been taken in the teachers' own time'.

WHY………. Mrs Woolley would go into work during your holidays to do training?

She said: "If you ask to take your kids out of school they don't allow you to.

Well if people are so concerned about their kids education then they should not be taking their kids out of school.

I assume that this is not the first time the school has closed for a training day? And so say again that it’s the location that’s the problem.

synikal, Manchester (09/10/2008 at 10:51)

Good for them!! All workplaces should take employees on training courses abroad and have team building days, if not to train staff then to increase morale.

Esso Blue, Oil incorporated, Luxury Penthouse, Abu Dhabi, Black Gold, Texas Tea. (09/10/2008 at 10:55)

It looks like this is a witch hunt, if it had been November poor Guy could of become the fawkes on the bonfire.

The plot thickens.

Jomov (09/10/2008 at 11:04)

It seems to me that the only reason why the teachers agreed to do this in their own time was because they were going Barcelona...

I doubt they would have done it if it was somewhere in muggy England...

Mike, Manchester (09/10/2008 at 12:56)

"..staff could jet to Spain.."

There you go again, JET!

Flying's not exotic or reserved for the rich anymore. Just say "travel" and stop gilding the lily.

Pippa, Manchester (09/10/2008 at 13:09)

The location doesn't particular concern me if it was the cheapest option. What does concern me is that ALL the staff went at the same time and closed the school. I don't understand why the training couldn't have been staggered enabling the school to remain open.

umpire 2, Salford M7 4HT (09/10/2008 at 13:13)

Let us all admit it, we were jealous that they went to Spain and our own bosses sent us to the Peak District or into Chorlton or somewhere like that for our training courses.

I arrange courses in the UK, and it would cost just that amount and probable more for them to go to a hotel in their city for a 2 day course with Lunch.

So who ever arranged that course should be congratulated and asked to arranged the next one for all the volunteers / PTA to go on next.

Aqua Lane (09/10/2008 at 18:15)

I am so annoyed with this article - why is it entitled "Parents anger at teacher trip" when it has been proved that more than half the parents SUPPORT the trip??

Sensationalist reporting to fan the flames of a story that should be left alone. Mr Guy is a brilliant head teacher and is more than capable of deciding just how best to boost the morale of his staff. Councillor Hibbert should keep his nose out of this - how on earth could Mr Guy have given the staff a cultural training visit in Chadderton? Can he tell me where the nearest art gallery is? The nearest theatre? What culture is offered in Chadderton please? Come on Mr Hibbert get your ideas out of the Luddite gutter and into the real world.

Jomov (09/10/2008 at 19:00)

I thought the reason for this trip was for training?

Or was it a moral boosting exercise?

Manc Lad (10/10/2008 at 13:53)

Ann wooley's comment about the trip should have nbeen taken in the teachers own time is ridiculous. I wouldn't expect my employer to tell me I had to attend training in my own time. The teachers also gave up a weekend to attend this training.

It should be noted that the trip was for training and not a 'jolly'. The parents who were against the trip should ask themselves what is their motivation for being so objectionable.

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