Who is me when I’m on a school residential?

Carron Stacey - 3 Oct 17

I work as an HLTA in a primary school and a few years ago, I was asked to go on a school residential trip as a 1-1. I soon discovered that I love these trips, so I’ve been on quite a few since. A couple of days I can cope without being replaced, but some trips are a week long and I can’t leave my other half to do it all, without taking time off work.

I could list many reasons why I do these trips, including all the ones where I see the children in a different light outside of normal school activities; I see them shine physically when they might not academically; I feel extremely proud when they achieve things like conquering their fears on the zip wire or abseiling etc. However there are many more reasons. I get some peace and quiet for a week, well peace and quiet from my own son; I have my meals cooked for (there’s something about that blue canteen tray!), and someone else does the washing up; there is no housework to do, other than to keep my own suitcase tidy. This is not to say that it all makes up for the lack of sleep and the feeling that at any moment, your door will be knocked for reasons such as “So and so is looking at me nastily” or “My heart is beating too fast”! But I’m not here to garner thanks.

My dear parents usually make the 200 mile trip here to be me for the week. They usually arrive when I’ve gone, so the handover is by telephone. I write up a massive chart with each day along the top, and rows such as Start time, After school activities, Evening activities, Get ready for next day, and Questions.

Most years, days have been “Drive him to school at 8.30”, “Pick up from the playground at 3.10”, “Drop off at Goals for football training at 5.30” etc. Clubs had been going for a few years, so we all knew where he’d be and at what time.

This year, all change. He’s started in Year 7. Some of the clubs hadn’t even started until this week. We didn’t know if he had football training on Monday, or if it was on Tuesday, or if it wasn’t Tuesday, would it be Thursday? Was there a match on Wednesday? Where? How does he get to the match? I can’t tell you how stressful it was not being here whilst trying to arrange pick ups from miles away!

But the biggest change this year on the timetable has been the homework! Entries read: Make sure he’s got his ICT poster to hand in; Test him on his Spanish vocab; Test him on his History key facts. We’ve never had so much to do in a week!

My parents coped admirably and all was well, even an hour and a half wait in a carpark in the rain for the return of the football minibus. “We’re on our way” now means “I’ll see you in 90 minutes”! I’m not sure I’ve got another trip in me! They may have to find someone else next time…

Carron Stacey

Carron Stacey, a late-40s mum who works in school to keep her sanity. Enjoys the beach and the humdrum things in life. Mum to a tweenie boy, living on the coast in the UK.

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