Dumbarton pupils praised after plane delay

Jul 10 2009 by Lorraine Waddell, Lennox Herald (main ed)

A DUMBARTON school trip turned into a nightmare when the plane the party was meant to be returning on suffered a technical fault.

The large group of pupils and accompanying staff had to go to an airport two hours away in searing heat to board a flight back to Scotland.

But the pupils from Our Lady and St Patrick’s High who were on the French trip have been praised for their patience and good behaviour during the ordeal.

Aberdeen couple Paul and Meg Wraight were booked on the same flight from La Rochelle to Edinburgh, and were also forced to travel to Nantes instead before finally arriving on Scottish soil around seven hours later than expected.

They were very impressed at the way the pupils behaved during the journey, which started at La Rochelle about midday with the flight not getting into Edinburgh until around 9pm.

Paul said: “I was astonished at how the children behaved. We were very impressed by their discipline and patience and the fact that, while there would have been every excuse for losing tempers and behaving badly, they were a credit to the school.

“One of the teachers was saying that they had an outing the night before and hadn’t got back to their accommodation until 3am. They were then up at 6am so they must have been very tired.

“I just thought that, given the situation, the kids behaved really well.”

Not only did the pupils look after themselves but they took care of another teenage girl who was travelling on her own.

Paul continued: “There was a young adult, maybe around 13 or 14, who was travelling on her own.

“She was adopted by the school party. They all had a number and they gave her an honorary number.”

Paul and Meg were so impressed by the children’s behaviour that they sent a letter to head teacher Charles Rooney.

Paul said: “Congratulations to the pupils, the teachers and the school, for coping well with such a challenge.

“It was an immensely heart-warming and encouraging sight to witness.”

A council education spokeswoman said: “We are delighted that this family took the time to comment so favourably on the young people they met from Our Lady and St Patrick’s High School.

“The school is very proud of its leadership programme with its students and would expect no less of them in any public situation.

“Young people are frequently criticised but in West Dunbartonshire we are proud of our next generation and the part they play in leading, learning and caring for their communities and environment.”