On July 19, 2024, The Charter School East Dulwich was set to embark on their eagerly awaited end-of-year school trip to Berlin. However, the day unfolded quite differently from what was planned.
Due to a massive Microsoft outage, thousands of flights, including theirs, were cancelled. In such an unprecedented turn of events, the group discovered that their flight had been called off while already on board the plane, waiting to take off. It was a challenging situation for both the school and TCBC to navigate, but as you’ll read below, the story ultimately had a positive outcome. We had the pleasure of speaking with Annabelle Pemberton, Group Leader and a History Teacher at The Charter School East Dulwich, about her experience handling the last-minute cancellation of their trip.
Could you tell us a bit about the trip, its focus, and how long it had been in the planning?
The trip to Berlin had been a labour of love, planned by myself since the beginning of the 2023/2024 academic year. It was scheduled to take place over a weekend, from Friday to Monday, during the final week of the term - because nothing says “relaxing end of term” like herding 60 teenagers through an airport in the early hours of the morning.
The trip’s primary focus was on history, particularly to enrich our students' understanding of Germany and the First World War to support their GCSE studies. It was designed to make the curriculum more tangible while also extending learning beyond the curriculum. Additionally, I aimed to broaden the students' cultural experiences, offering them a memorable opportunity to step outside their usual day-to-day environment.
Has your school organised a trip to Berlin before, or do you frequently arrange trips of this kind?
Since joining the school, I’ve become the de facto travel agent for historical adventures. In my first year, I planned a visit to Belgium and France, and in November 2023, I arranged a trip to Berlin. Each trip is tailored to enrich our KS4 students’ understanding of history, though I’m still waiting for the chance to add “Caribbean retreat” to our list of educational excursions.
Has your school ever encountered a situation where a trip had to be cancelled like this
No, this was an unprecedented situation.
How did you and your students feel when you first learnt that the trip had to be cancelled?
We had started our day very early, gathering at the school at 3:30 a.m. Everything had gone according to plan, and there was a sense of relief and excitement as we sat on the plane. However, after about two hours of waiting on board—complete with a taxi to the runway and back—we were informed that the flight was cancelled. The disappointment was immense. As a teacher, my immediate concern was for the students' welfare and ensuring their safe return home. The students, although deeply disheartened, displayed remarkable maturity, which greatly eased the burden on myself and my colleagues. Initially, we held out hope for a next-day departure, but when I later found out the entire trip was off, I was genuinely heartbroken for the students. A year’s worth of planning felt like it had unravelled in just a few hours. The silver lining? The outpouring of understanding and support from the parents was incredibly heartwarming and one of the most moving experiences of my career. I received numerous emails expressing gratitude for how we handled the situation, and they even sent me flowers and a card.
Were you able to return home easily that same day? Was there any expectation from the students or the school to rebook the trip, or did you think it was lost entirely?
Getting 60 students home on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year was an adventure in itself. We had originally travelled to the airport by coach, but with no coach to take us back, we had to rely on public transport. The wonderful staff accompanying the trip were nothing short of heroic, and together we navigated the best route home. Although we did not have public transport tickets for the students, we were fortunate to encounter compassionate TFL staff who assisted us, likely sensing our desperation. Navigating multiple trains and buses with a small army of teenagers on the hottest day of the year felt like some kind of endurance test. While we all harboured hopes of the trip still going ahead and potentially flying out the following day, there was a lingering concern that it might not be logistically feasible.
How did you feel when you found out that TCBC could rebook your trip for October at no extra cost?
I was over the moon! Elated, relieved, and absolutely thrilled for my students, who truly deserve this opportunity. This year group is particularly special to me, so I’m delighted that we’ve been able to make this happen with TCBC’s help. I’m incredibly grateful to TCBC for sorting it out so promptly—within a week of the cancellation! After everything that’s happened, we’re now looking forward to the trip even more.
How have the students and parents reacted to the cancellation and subsequent rescheduling of the trip? Were they enthusiastic about the new dates? Can all students still attend?
The response from both students and parents has been overwhelmingly positive. They are ecstatic and deeply appreciative that the trip has been rescheduled and all but 2 students out of the original 60 can attend as well as the original staff members. Plus, we now get to experience Berlin during the Festival of Lights, and we’ve even added a disco night to the itinerary.
I’ve received some of the most heart-warming messages from parents in my teaching career, which truly reflect the strong sense of community and the kindness of the families we serve. Some of the messages include:
“Thank you so much for all the care, energy, and time you've put in to make this happen for them. It is very much appreciated.”
“I also wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for making this happen; I can imagine it's been a big effort with so many kids and teachers to book onto the trip. [Redacted] is delighted the trip can still go ahead, as I'm sure all the students are. I think it will make a big difference to their history GCSE studies too, to spark inspiration and give them real insight visiting the places they have only read about.”
“This is wonderful, thank you so much! I can't tell you how impressed we all are at your handling of this impossible situation.”
“I know what a huge logistical challenge this must have been, the amount of people you must
have had to contact and consult, making sure of staff availability, not clashing with any other
school events, the airlines, the hotels, the tours....
I don't know how you did it, and right at the end of term, when you might have been hoping to
wind down.
Thank you so much for all this work and also for being willing to give up another weekend of your time in October.”
“That’s such wonderful news I cannot tell you how much it means to the students and indeed the
parents. I’m sure you must feel happy and relieved as well!
Once again, thanks ever so much for all the hard work you put into the trips so far and
everything that you have done to rebook it hope you have a well-deserved break and a
wonderful summer.”
What are your overall expectations for this trip, and how do you hope it will benefit your students?
For many of our students, given their backgrounds, this is a truly unique opportunity to experience history in a way that brings it to life alongside their teachers and peers. I hope the trip will not only reinforce their GCSE studies but also ignite a lifelong passion for history and a curiosity about the wider world. And if they realise that history is more than just battles and dead people, I’ll consider that a win. Additionally, I hope it will broaden their cultural horizons and provide them with experiences that will stay with them long after they leave school.
How satisfied are you with TCBC’s handling of the situation overall? Would you recommend TCBC to other schools?
I am extremely satisfied with how TCBC managed the situation. They took “above and beyond” to a new level and turned what could have been a disaster into a triumph. From the moment the trip was cancelled, they sought to find a solution, with their Director, Dan, personally contacting several times and to inform me that the trip could be rescheduled. I’m immensely grateful for all the effort they’ve put into both the initial planning and the rescheduling. I would wholeheartedly recommend TCBC to other schools for their personalised and dedicated service, which truly goes above and beyond to meet the needs of both students and staff.