TEACHER'S JOLLY TO MARBELLA CANCELLED

“Parents have had to take time off work or are paying for extra childcare while the staff were supposed to be enjoying the sun at the school’s expense.”

But head teacher Richard Mercer defended the trip, saying it represented good value.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing,” he said. “I certainly do not regret the decision I made, but I regret the fall-out and the attention it has caused.

“However, given the current economic climate, I can see how this could be perceived as being not very sensitive to go to Marbella, particularly as many of our parents are under financial pressures.

“We looked for nine to 10 quotes through an agent and the best and most cost-effective was the hotel in Marbella.
“The facilities were what we needed for the training programme that we wanted to run.

“It could have been anywhere. For instance last year we went to Crewe and the staff were very happy to do the training there.

“The reason we didn’t choose to train in the school initially is that we did not believe that it raises aspirations among the staff as much as being able to go to an outside facility.”

Last night it emerged that Mr Mercer had also organised a trip for heads of department to Mallorca five years ago.

Stoke-on-Trent MP Mark Fisher said: “Education in the city is becoming a laughing stock. This is a shambles.”

Terry Crowe, chairman of governors at Berry Hill High School – which is due to shut and merge with the college in a proposed new city academy – said it was an ominous sign of things to come.

“What a waste of money. They should be ashamed of themselves, ” he said.

Head Mr Mercer said he was in discussions with Stoke-on-Trent city council over attempts to secure a refund from the four-star Andalucia Plaza Marbella Hotel.

But Stoke’s mayor Mark Meredith said: “I don’t know if they are going to be able to get their money back.

“My personal view is that it was a barmy decision in the first place to hold the session in Spain.

“I’m really pleased that they have come to their senses and decided to hold the training session in the school itself.

“I think they should have held the session locally, whether at the school or at a local conference centre, where the money that was going to be used could go into the local economy.

“Obviously the head teacher and his senior staff are going to have a lot of explaining to do to the school governors.

“At the end of the day, it’s taxpayers’ money that was going to be used on this trip and they have to be held to account.”