John Gulson school strike: Teachers 'threatened' by appraisals

Teachers and union officials created a picket line outside John Gulson Primary School

Up to 30 teachers and union officials are striking outside a Coventry school because of concerns raised over a new appraisal system.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and NASUWT called the action at John Gulson Primary School on George Street.

An NUT official said members feel under threat by the new appraisals which have led to stress-related illnesses.

The city councillor responsible for education said not all teachers at the school felt "under undue pressure".

NUT representative Chris Denson said the school remained partially open despite the strike over the appraisal system brought in last September.

'Removes teacher support'

Mr Denson said: "In Coventry we've had an appraisal system for a number of years which has been very supportive to staff and worked very well for the schools.

"The issue for us is there's been a new policy brought in at this school - and a number of other schools - which removes a lot of the support for the teachers and has left our members feeling under constant threat.

"There's also an excessive number of observations that teachers are having to go through and it's putting a huge amount of stress onto people and actually causing lots of illness for our members."

Unions hope to speak to the school to discuss the system, which they claim has not been introduced at all schools across the city, with further industrial action earmarked for June.

Labour councillor David Kershaw, the cabinet member for education, has disputed the claim the new system, based on a national model, puts teachers "under unreasonable scrutiny".

Mr Kershaw said: "In Coventry we are now desperately working hard to raise standards of achievement and we know that performance management of teachers is one element.

"At this school there are some teachers who feel they are being put under undue pressure. In the same school there are other teachers who don't.

"Our best schools in this city are taking performance management seriously."