Teachers to strike at school over staffing issues

The National Education Union said it was "hopeful" it could come to an agreement with the trust that runs the school

Teachers at a Nottingham secondary school are set to strike over "detrimental" staffing issues.

National Education Union (NEU) members at The Trinity Catholic School in Aspley will walk out on Wednesday and Thursday.

The union says 10 members of teaching staff are set to leave the school at the end of this year and will not be replaced.

The trust that runs the school said it was working to "seek a resolution and try and avoid strike action".

Teachers had been left “very concerned” about the impact changes will have on pupils, the NEU said.

It said the proposals by the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, which runs the school, could have a “longer lasting detrimental impact” on the children.

The trust said it had been experiencing "significant financial pressures" due to "chronic underfunding of schools".

James McGeachie, chief executive of the trust, said: "It is disappointing that they have taken the decision to strike, but we do fully understand that significant financial pressures at the school have resulted in changes which will impact on class sizes.

"Approximately 10% of classes will increase by an average of one or two pupils. The remainder will remain unchanged.

"Some staff also feel their workload will increase as a result of the changes, but the school has put in place a number of workload reducing measures to balance this."

Additional support staff will be recruited at the school, according to the union, but it said classroom teachers were needed if the “outcomes for young people are to be maintained”.

'Remain hopeful'

Sheena Wheatley, of Nottingham NEU, said the union was “committed to resolving the result”.

“Members at the Trinity School, Nottingham, are determined to stand up and do what it takes to protect their school,” she said.

“All they are asking is that the trust recognise that such reductions in staffing are not conducive in trying to provide the level of service expected from our members to best serve this community.

“We remain hopeful that the trust will put an offer to staff and attempt to resolve matters, but they have left this very late in the day to avert strike action.”

In addition to strikes, several days of industrial action could also take place next term, warned the NEU.

A statement from the NEU added: “These changes could have a longer lasting detrimental impact on the children at Trinity and they shouldn’t be made to suffer because of these changes.

“Staff have conceded to the reduction in planning and preparation time and some teaching outside of subject specialism is needed to balance the books.

“[But] they are not satisfied with the overall number of teaching staff who are not being replaced this year and the speed at which these changes are being pushed through.”

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