Teachers train in sunny Spain
UP TO 80 teaching staff at a city school are flying to Marbella tomorrow for a four-day trip to plan their pupils' education.
Pupils at Edensor Technology College, in Longton, are off school on Thursday and Friday for training days, while their teachers head for Spain.
Teaching staff will be discussing the new curriculum and plans to turn the school into an academy built at Park Hall during a two-day conference.
Headteacher Richard Mercer, pictured, says it was more cost-effective to hold the conference in Spain than in England because the trip was booked a year ago. He denied the trip was a staff treat.
Staff are flying out tomorrow morning and returning on Sunday afternoon. The conference takes place on Friday and Saturday. The school was unable to say how much the trip is costing.
Mr Mercer said: "It's unbelievable but it's more cost effective to go abroad as it's the end of Marbella's season.
"We looked at conference facilities in Birmingham and London but they are even more expensive.
"We need to get all the staff together to discuss the new curriculum and the planned move to Park Hall to become an academy.
"If parents think this is a 'jolly' they should join us and find out how hard the staff work. They are giving up their weekend.
"If you take out the place name the training is the same and the cost is the same because we booked a year ago.
"We work closely with the Government and local authority to ensure we go through the correct procedures."
The school is using two of its five annual staff training days for the trip to the four-star Andalucia Plaza Marbella Hotel.
Pupils will be set tasks to complete on the internet from home on Thursday and Friday rather than being at school.
The hotel, which has a poolside bar, Turkish baths and casino, is metres from the beach and close to golf courses and watersports.
Guest speakers Richard Gerver, an education consultant, and curriculum expert Bill Watkin, are also on the trip.
But some parents want to know why the conference could not be held at the school.
Andy Sales, aged 34, of Fenton, said: "Why isn't this money being spent on our kids?
Parents are having to take time off work or are paying for extra childcare while the staff are enjoying the sun at the school's expense."
Fellow parent Peter Robson, aged 38, of Longton, said: "We received a letter saying the school would be shut for training days but it didn't mention anything about Marbella.
"It sounds like a waste of money when they could have held a meeting in the school."
A Stoke-on-Trent City Council spokesman said: "This is a matter for the school."
93 Comments
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by Dee, Fenton
Thursday, October 02 2008, 5:33PM
“I think that the teachers trip should be cancelled.
I don't know what Mr Mercer thinking about as the money spent on the teachers trip
should have been spent keeping there staff like the school mentor Julie Copeland.
I think that the school should think more about there students needs.”
by arthur, stoke
Thursday, October 02 2008, 5:30PM
“oh well”
by mike, stoke
Thursday, October 02 2008, 5:16PM
“Surely the biggest punishment would have been to send the teachers to Marbella. Surrounded by all that luxury but with no time to enjoy it. I think the knee-jerk reaction to this story has been like a godsend to some of the teachers. Spending 5 days a week educating other people's children is hard enough; it's even worse when it's at the expense of one's own children. Thank you British press - you're ace”
by Edensor Pupil, Stoke area
Thursday, October 02 2008, 11:40AM
“Mr Mercer is my headteacher , and to be honest he does so much for us all at Edensor. I am happier at this school than the previous high school I attended and he his a much better headteacher, so whoever is saying he should loose his job he totally shouldn't. He as done so much positive at his time at Edensor.”
by Anon, Newcastle
Thursday, October 02 2008, 11:34AM
“So, the trip has been cancelled. What a waste! I know somone from Edensor and he and the rest of the staff there work incredibly hard. They don't deserve to be messed about like this and made to feel guilty for doing their jobs. Is everyone happy now? The kids are still not in school, the staff will be in no mood for training and the school will have probably lost all its money. So no-one's a winner. I wish everyone at Edensor well - they will bounce back from this.”