Teachers to strike over pupil behaviour and safety

Staff are to strike at Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey over pupil behaviour and safety

Teachers are to go on strike at a Kent secondary school over pupil behaviour and staff safety.

Staff at two sites of Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey in Sheerness and Minster are planning to walk out on Wednesday.

The National Education Union (NEU) called the action after "negotiations over the safe management of poor pupil behaviour and staff and pupil safety failed to meet member demands".

A statement for Oasis Academy said that during this industrial action it "will be offering online study materials to all students to minimise the disruption".

An NEU statement said: "Teachers at the school have been calling for fixed exclusion tariffs of 10 days for assaults or threats of assaults against staff and pupils following numerous incidences of pupil threats and violence.

"The issue of staff and pupil safety in the face of widespread and deteriorating behaviour remain unresolved."

The Oasis Academy was rated inadequate by Ofsted in August 2022, with inspectors finding pupils using "foul, homophobic, racist and sexist language".

The school was taken over by a new trust and last month proposals were put forward for it to be replaced by two new schools.

Nick Childs, from the NEU said: “It is regrettable that strike action has been unavoidable.

"The Oasis Trust have been aware of staff safety concerns for many months and the union has been clear about the decisive action required to address the unacceptable working and learning environment.

“Behaviour at the school is currently completely unacceptable."

'Everybody can thrive'

In a statement Oasis Academy said providing a high quality education for every student was "always our top priority".

It added: "We remain committed to working positively with staff representatives to try and avoid any future disruption, and to ensure that Oasis Academy is a school where everybody can thrive."

Further strike action has been scheduled for 28 and 29 November and 5 to 7 December.

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