Pupils at Christ Church Primary in Purley, who yesterday broke up for half-term, could be getting more time off school next month after their teachers voted overwhelmingly for strike action.
Teachers, members of the National Education Union, voted by a 93% majority to take strike action against proposed staffing changes that will take place from September, which a union official says, “will have a catastrophic effect on the education of all current and future pupils”.
The school’s management has proposed a drastic and devastating restructure, including “significant” cuts to staff levels, to deal with an unprecedented budget overspend, considerably worse than other schools in the area.
“The school’s staff believe such ill-advised cuts present serious safeguarding risks,” a NEU official said.
The school already had a £231,000 deficit at the start of this year, with a projected overspend of £100,000 for 2024-2025.
The governing body’s proposals would see the loss of six full-time or equivalent posts to go, including one assistant headteacher and four admin staff, from the school’s teaching and admin staff of almost 70.
Among the proposed changes are the loss of a specialist English and Additional Language (EAL) staff at a school where nearly half the pupils are registered as EAL.
Other potential impacts include:
- A reduction in the depth and breadth of curriculum available to all pupils, with the loss of specialist computing, music and French support
- Less classroom support for teachers to be able to deliver creative, engaging and varied lessons for the children
- Less ability to provide school trips and residential experiences
- A lack of additional classroom support for pupils that desperately need it, leading to wider attainment gaps as pupils will not receive the additional assistance to aid their progress
The governing body of the two-form entry school on Montpelier Road has made the proposals to combat the deficit through redundancies. “It will increase the excessive workload of those teachers who are retained,” the union official said, “seriously impacting the time and ability the staff have to focus on the children and their needs.
“The teaching, support, premises and administrative staff are hopeful of being able to work with the governing body to find a resolution. Through these negotiations, staff are hoping to be able to provide the standard of care, education and support that all current pupils receive and future pupils deserve.”
And they add: “If no solution is found, then strike action will follow in March.”
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