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Wednesday, October 01, 2008, 09:30
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."
TRIP: The Andalucia Plaza Marbella Hotel.
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