School is set to partially close over strike plan

A SCHOOL in Coventry will be forced to partially close after six days of strike action were declared.

West Coventry Academy say the decision by the National Education Union will have a significant impact on normal lessons.

The secondary school - which teaches around 1,150 pupils, according to Ofsted - says it is “wholly disappointed” by the “unacceptable” decision of the union. And they say the school will not be able to remain fully open on the affected days for all students.

The school says all students will have access to remote learning, and all year groups will have at least one day in school - meaning they could miss up to a week of normal lessons.

Mock examinations and trips will go ahead as planned, the school says, however.

They stress that all vulnerable children can attend school as normal, and they say that children who get free school meals will be provided for.

The NEU said union members have voted to take strike action on October 11.

Ana Neofitou, headteacher, issued a joint statement with Richard Gill, CEO of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, in which she expressed concern at the strike action.

“Regrettably, as a result of the NEU industrial action, the school is not able to remain fully open on those days to all students,” the statement said.

“This is a cause of concern for all of us. Our priority is to minimise disruption to our school community and ensure that learning continues.

“Across the six strike days, all students will have access to remote learning, and all year groups will have at least one day in school. Mock examinations and trips will go ahead as planned. All vulnerable children can attend school as normal, and children who are in receipt of free school meals will be provided for.

“We have written to all parents and carers with the plans relating to their child/ren. We have also been talking to students in assemblies and will continue to support them throughout this time.”

The union has expressed fears over excessive workloads and pressure on teachers. They say teaching hours there have recently gone up - and are worried they will rise again in the future.

The school says in its statement that the rise in hours will now be ‘paused’ for two years.

Their statement says: “A total of 40 members of the NEU have voted for six days of strike action in response to an increase in the number of lessons teachers are asked to teach in line with the national Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document. In response to their concerns, the Trust has paused the planned increase until September 2024 and will continue to engage with staff around our workload and wellbeing charter.

“Every effort has been made to avoid the planned strike action and reach an agreement with the regional representatives of NEU. Despite those negotiations and the concessions made by the Trust, the NEU has refused to stand down strikes.

“We sincerely regret the impact this will have on everyone in schools: students, teachers, staff and parents. We are particularly disappointed in this decision following the severe disruption to children’s education over the last two years due to the pandemic. The NEU’S decision to take teachers away from classrooms especially at a time when students may need additional support - is unacceptable.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to children and young people. We thank our school community for its patience and continued support.”

A union spokesperson said about the planned action: “Since the beginning of the ballot, the school have already further increased teaching hours to the highest for any secondary school in Coventry, and plan to further increase hours in subsequent years. This would be significantly out of line with norms not just in Coventry but with schools right across the country, and the NEU and its members are clear that this will have a detrimental impact on not only the staff in the school but the educational provision for children in the school.”

Nicky Downes, joint district and branch secretary at the union in Coventry, said: “The NEU has sought to resolve these issues with the school at every stage and are open to talks at any time to avoid such action.”