School closed, we’re off to sunny Spain!

El of a row as 21 go on a £5,691 teacher training jaunt to Barcelona
PARENTS are fuming after a school was closed for the day — so teachers could jet off to sunny Barcelona for staff training.

They point out that Whitegate End Primary School’s Mediterranean break comes as families struggle with the credit crunch and Oldham Council threatens to axe 850 jobs to cover a £17.3million budget shortfall.

And they have accused the Chadderton school of hypocrisy, saying parents are threatened with prosecution if they take children out of school for a holiday during term time.

It cost £271 each for 21 members of staff — or £5,691 in total — to visit the Catalonian capital from Friday to Sunday.

The city break was paid partly from the school’s training budget along with staff contributions.

Head teacher Adrian Guy defended the trip saying it was designed to help staff understand the importance of creative teaching and cultural awareness and had been supported by governors, including parent and council representatives.

But Andy Burton (54), whose grand-daughter goes to the school, said: “I was gobsmacked. They are spending taxpayers’ money and I think it’s a disgrace.

“A lot of parents were not aware that the teachers were going to Barcelona and thought the staff would be in the classroom.

“Our daughter has been told that parents can’t take children out of school, and if they do it so many times the police will be involved, yet they’re depriving our grandchild of a day’s education while they swan off to Barcelona.

“I know the trips are funded differently, but they must be budgeted from a central area.

“I can’t believe Oldham Council announces 850 possible redundancies and then a school in the borough are all off to Barcelona.”

Chadderton South Councillor Dave Hibbert criticised the trip as appearing “cavalier and casual” and said it was bound to antagonise people.

He said: “It certainly sends out the wrong message. It makes them look like they are being careless about spending money that does not need to be spent and is not their money.”

The jaunt follows Stoke’s Edensor Technology College cancelling a four-day teacher training trip to the Costa del Sol, believed to have cost £40,000, after sparking outrage.

Mr Guy added: “Barcelona was chosen because the artists Miro and Picasso have been studied in school, and the city exemplifies how to celebrate and embrace culture.

“During each academic year every school has four inset days that it can use throughout the year when appropriate for staff training and curriculum planning. As a result the decision was made last year to close the school for one day, last Friday, with the staff involved voluntarily giving up their weekend.”

Council service director for children, young people and families, Janet Doherty, said: “How school employees are professionally developed is down to each individual school and its governing body to decide within its own budgets.”