A primary school which receives special payments for disadvantaged pupils sent staff on a trip to Canada costing £6,000 during term – paid for by taxpayers.
Byker Primary School, in Newcastle, received an outstanding rating in its recent Ofsted inspection despite having a high number of pupils from a ‘disadvantaged’ backgrounds.
But the school has been accused of rewarding teachers for their success by allowing them to miss a week of the school’s curriculum time on a trip paid for from its state-funded budget.
Trip: Byker Primary School in Newcastle sent four teachers on a trip to Canada costing £6,000 during term
Defence: Headteacher Mrs Bradley went on to say the trip cost £6,000 and was met by the school budget. She said ‘Four of our teachers attended three schools in Toronto, Canada, as part of our School Development Programme
Four senior staff went on an exchange trip to a school in Toronto, using a week of their own holiday time during the half term break and a week of the school’s.
Byker received £345,840 from the government this year due to the high number of pupils from poorer families who receive free school meals. The school has 262 children who qualify for Pupil Premium payments at £1,320 per child per year.
The payment to Byker is higher than most schools would receive because according to Ofsted the number of disadvantaged pupils it accommodates is ‘well above average.’
Byker received £345,840 this year due to the high number of pupils from poorer families
School bosses denied that the trip was a ‘treat’ for the teachers and say it was about building international links with other educational institutions.
Parents of children say they knew nothing of the trip and questioned why staff were allowed to be off during the term when they would face prosecution for taking their children out of school at the same time.
Collecting son Archie, six, at the school gates, Daniel Ghafoor, 36, said: ‘It’s a really good school and my sons have done well here but teachers shouldn’t be taking time away during term.
‘Parents can’t do it and have to pay higher prices for holidays because they go up as soon as the term ends.’
Chelsea Baker, 22, was collecting son Ali, three. She said: ‘It’s not right, we can’t take our kids out of school during term time, it should be the same for the teachers.’
Her friend Naomi Martin, 22, said: ‘I used to go to this school and had to move because I was being bullied. ‘Standards have really improved under this head but the four teachers should be the same as everyone else and go away on their own time.’
Sammy Barnett, 30, collecting son Alex, five, said: ‘The teachers being away hasn’t had any impact on my children’s education but I can understand people being annoyed whose kids are taught by them.’
Chelsea Baker, 22, collecting son Ali, three, pictured, said: ‘It’s not right, we can’t take our kids out of school during term time, it should be the same for the teachers’
The school has won high praise from Ofsted for bringing in a ‘no excuses’ culture and raising expectations.
It proved such a success that one pupil, Tyrese George, won a scholarship to take him from the deprived Byker estate to £32,000-a-year Eton College, once attended by the Duke of Cambridge and former Prime Minister David Cameron.
However a source said: ‘The teachers are being rewarded by being sent on long distance holidays in term time, paid for by school funds – i.e by taxpayers.
‘Four teachers have just come back from a fully expensed trip to Canada.’
Headteacher Linda Bradley angrily defended the school’s actions and insisted it wasn’t a reward for its recent success.
She said: ‘It wasn’t a holiday or a reward, they have worked at a school in Toronto in Canada, it was funded out of the school budget.’
She said the school was keen to forge international links and added: ‘I don’t think I should be having to explain myself.’
In a statement Mrs Bradley went on to say the trip cost £6,000 and was met by the school budget.
She said ‘Four of our teachers attended three schools in Toronto, Canada, as part of our School Development Programme.
‘Our school was recently judged outstanding by OFSTED, and our ambition is that we continue to learn and develop, creating a vibrant school that will help all the pupil’s achieve their potential.
Parent Daniel Ghafoor, 36, with son Archie, six, (pictured) said: ‘It’s a really good school and my sons have done well here but teachers shouldn’t be taking time away during term’
‘The school system in Canada is one of the best in the world and they are seen as pioneers in education. They have a similar demographic to the UK and are a perfect comparison to our own educational landscape.
‘The four members of staff, from various areas of our teaching team, attended three different schools across Toronto over the course of one week. They spent time in each school and at a round table discussion which included senior staff and a Director from the Ontario Education Board.
‘The staff gained first-hand experience in the schools and worked closely with pupils and teaching staff, they also delivered a presentation which aimed to tackle issues highlighted by the Canadian School’s own Development Plans, using examples from our school to tackle the challenges they face.
‘Byker Primary School values links with schools from across the world, and we have approached the British Council to discuss funding to work with schools from developing countries such as Uganda and Pakistan.’
She added: ‘The learning was to work in classrooms and with pupils first hand.
‘Unfortunately due to the similarities in term dates the trip taking place during term time was unavoidable, however we did carefully consider a time in the school year that would have minimum impact on pupils learning and ensured the school continued to run normally during the staff’s one week absence.’
Sammy Barnett, 30, with son Alex, five, said: ‘Teachers being away hasn’t had any impact on my kid’s education but I can understand people being annoyed whose kids are taught by them’
Good school: Byker Primary School in Newcastle was rated as ‘Outstanding’ during its Ofsted inspection
One of the aims set out by the school for the extra cash it received was to improve school attendance from pupils who qualify for free school meals.
On its website the school says: ‘It was decided that the main focus of our Pupil Premium spending was to try and remove the following barriers to education that children may face: Continue to improve attainment and progress in writing. Continue to fund extra-curricular experiences beyond the statutory curriculum, such as school clubs and trips. Continue to improve school attendance.’
Mrs Bradley was praised by Ofsted for her success, which saw Byker achieve results that hit the top 10% of Britain’s schools.
Following the inspection earlier this year, Ofsted said: ‘The headteacher has been pivotal to the success of the school.
‘She is uncompromising in her determination to instil in all pupils the belief that they can, and will, achieve their best.
‘Although the proportion of disadvantaged pupils within the school is well above average, there is a ‘no excuse’ culture and the expectations for pupils’ achievement are highly ambitious. As a result, pupils, and their parents, are hugely positive and aspirational about their future. ‘
It went on to say: ‘In 2016, pupils’ outcomes in the statutory tests, at both key stage 1 and 2, were in the top 10% of schools nationally, for all subjects and for all groups of pupils.
‘The school’s own internal assessment information for all other year groups demonstrates an equally impressive trajectory of performance and reflects leaders’ high aspirations and expectations for all pupils. From starting points that are below those to be typically expected, this represents outstanding achievement.’