Walk outs over school's proposed support staff cut

Staff at South Malling Primary School are planning six days of strikes

Staff at a primary school in East Sussex are walking out over proposed cuts to the number of support staff.

The National Education Union (NEU) said its members at South Malling Primary School in Lewes voted to strike after the school proposed reducing the number of teaching assistants.

The first of six days of strikes was scheduled for Tuesday.

The school said it understood "these proposed changes have prompted strong feelings" and it was "open to further discussions to explore alternative solutions".

According to the NEU, staff were told the school planned to go from six full-time teaching assistants to the full-time equivalent of 3.8 assistants from November, as well as reduce the hours of pastoral staff.

This would mean the years two to six would only have teaching assistant support for morning classes, the union said.

Becky Belfield, whose son attends the school, told the BBC she thought the proposed cut would have "a devastating effect".

'Significant financial pressures'

NEU senior regional officer Nick Childs said he was "hopeful" of a solution but "sad that our members have to go ahead with industrial action to make this point".

He said the cuts could have a "profound" effect on pupil behaviour and the extra help available to pupils.

Further walk-outs are scheduled over the next two weeks.

East Sussex County Council said the proposed change was "a governor decision, not the county council's".

The school said it "would like to stress that no decisions have been made".

Leaders were working to "address significant financial pressures while maintaining the highest standards", it said, and the proposal aimed "to ensure that resources are used as effectively as possible".

The industrial action follows NEU strikes in March at Western Road Community Primary School, also in Lewes, related to planned layoffs of teachers and assistants.

The NEU said Western Road school later changed its restructure plans.

The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.