Teachers at St Andrews and St
Francis School C of E Primary in Belton Road, Willesden, in Brent will be
taking strike action on Wednesday, 18th March.
Lesley Gouldbourne, Brent NUT
secretary, who represents the majority of the teaching staff at the school,
said,
“Staff at the school deeply regret
that it has come to this. Strike action is a last resort, but the school is not
a failing school. This government is increasingly forcing schools to become
academies, whether the parents like it or not. What happened to parental
choice? Despite our and parents objections no proper information was given to
parents and no secret ballot allowed despite our offering to cover the cost.
Parents and teachers have had enough of education by dictatorship.”
Hank Roberts, ATL Secretary, who
also represents staff at the school said,
“Academisation is part of this
Government’s plan to privatise state education just the same as it plans to
privatise the NHS. The so-called consultation was a farce. Only reasons why the
school should become an academy were sent to parents with no information
allowed to be sent to them with arguments against becoming an academy. This
despite the chair of the IEB John Galligan saying, “Everyone should hear both
sides”. John Major, the previous Conservative Prime Minister, insisted on
ballots for schools regarding the change of status. Why haven’t they done this
under David Cameron? Because they know the vast majority of parents, when they
are given the facts, are against. Parents and staff are standing firm to defend
their children’s education.”
The parents have organised a
petition and continue to collect signatures against the academy proposal.
The school has also been notified of
a further two days of strike action next week in a campaign of escalating
strike action.
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