School strikes end after unions accept deal

Teachers and staff at Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School in Lincoln have been walking out in a long-running dispute

Strikes at a Lincolnshire school which is accused of bullying, humiliation and poor leadership have ended after all three unions accepted a new offer.

Teachers and staff at Sir Francis Hill Community Primary School in Lincoln have been walking out in a long-running dispute after several staff members resigned.

Union Unison said it was "quite optimistic on a way forward" because an investigation and "internal grievance" process was due to start.

Lincolnshire County Council said suspension of industrial action came following "productive conversations between the school and unions".

Allegations of a toxic work environment at the school, on Bristol Drive, surfaced in December, with three unions - NASUWT, the National Education Union (NEU) and UNISON - stepping in to call strike action.

Allegations of bullying and harassment of staff members have been reported, and several teachers have left the school as a result

Liz Lowe, Unison's regional organiser for Lincolnshire, told the BBC: "We've reached an agreement and an offer on a process being followed. I'm really happy with the process that's been put forward."

Ms Lowe said the whole school was affected by the treatment of staff and the lack of "culture of dignity and respect".

She added: "We've all expressed an ambition that our concerns will be resolved by the end of the school year, so that the school can move forwards come September. We don't want this dragging out into the new school year.

"I'm really hopeful that we can build a better partnership so that we don't end up in the same position."

Unions hope an internal investigation will be completed before the start of the new school year

One parent, Sara Alexander, who has two children at the school, said the situation had “caused more disruption than Covid-19”.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “My son was sobbing the other day saying he didn’t want to go to school because his teacher hasn’t been there, and one week he even had four different substitute teachers.

“The majority of us feel disgusted by how the teachers are being treated, and it should have been sorted long before it got to this point."

Martin Smith, assistant director for children’s education at the council, said: “We’ve been informed that strike action has been suspended following productive conversations between the school and unions.

"We’re grateful to the interim leadership team for their ongoing efforts to provide consistency for the pupils, and their families, and to minimise any impact on learning.”

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