Sentinel leader: School trip is all wrong
I T WON'T just be parents who will raise their eyebrows at the news that up to 80 teachers from Edensor Technology College will soon spend two staff training days in Spain. The current state of the economy means that most of us are feeling the pinch. So the thought of thousands of pounds of public money being used to pay for dozens of teachers to fly off to sunny Marbella will not go down well. Headteacher Richard Mercer says that the trip is "cost-effective". By which he means that the jaunt costs less than taking his teachers to a four star hotel in Birmingham or London. However, Mr Mercer is missing the point. The Costa del Sol may be cheaper, at this time of the year, than some of the bigger British cities. But surely the Edensor training programme could be even more "cost-effective" if it was held in the Potteries.
W hich, of course, is the real issue. In life, perception is every- thing. Particularly when we are dealing with public services. And particularly during an economic downturn. We have no doubt that the teachers of Edensor will gain much from their Costa conference. However, the fact that they are discussing the future of education – let alone the future of education in Stoke-on-Trent – only yards from a Spanish beach, sends out the wrong message. Times are tough. And during such times tax-payers expect public servants to spend their money in a sensitive as well as cost-effective fashion. Taking up to 80 teachers to Spain for two days of training is most definitely not sensitive behaviour. What's more, you don't have to be a struggling parent to recognise that fact.
5 Comments
by Serco Spy, Stoke
Wednesday, October 01 2008, 3:15PM
“Mr Mercer and his staff are showing total disregard for their colleagues in other schools, the students and parents of their own school, and the public to whom Mr Mercer should be accountable for spending our money on such frivolities.
How can such a trip have been booked over a year ago? If it was, the intention certainly wasn't to discuss plans for the move to the Parkhall Academy, as the consultation hadn't taken place and the decision had not been taken at the time to move Edensor to Parkhall.
And what a cracking bit of forward planning by Mr Mercer - to start talking about a move which won't take place for another 3-4 years, when the LA are struggling to give parents of Longton High answers about what will happen to their kids because no plans appear to have been made? Yet Richard Mercer can take his staff on a jolly to discuss something which won't happen until much later! Something is definitely wrong here.”
by keith, blythe bridge
Wednesday, October 01 2008, 1:19PM
“jealousy will get you no where.
well not to Spain any way.”
by Alison, Longton
Wednesday, October 01 2008, 12:17PM
“And has anyone even CONSIDERED how this will look to all the poor teachers in the city who's jobs aren't guaranteed - those at Longton, Mitchell, Berryhill and Trentham?
I hope Serco and the Elected Mayor are investigating how this has been allowed to happen. It is an absolute disgrace and an insult to all the other hardworking teachers in this City.”
by Warren, Stoke on Trent
Wednesday, October 01 2008, 11:27AM
“Oh! two right it is. The problem hear is not the school being closed, we all understand the inportance of training, for planing, even team bulding. To do it in Spain is frankly an insult to the pupels and there perents. Come off it,the most cost effective was to do this would have been to use the School Hall, Sports Hall, Dinning Room, Large Classroom. The problem they would have then would heve been the lack of a bar, a swiming pool, sunshine and a lack of staff as non of them would have turned up, becouse they are that ill motivated they dont give a stuff no more, and I may have hit the nail smack on the head with that one.I do hope that they all enjoy themselfs over there, when they come back, this out cry will still be going on.”
by PAUL, Stoke-on-Trent
Wednesday, October 01 2008, 11:26AM
“I agree with the point on sensitive behaviour. There is so much to be said in this area!”