Teachers poised for strike action

MAKING a stand . . . protesters at Crompton House

TEACHERS at one of Oldham’s top-performing schools are being balloted on strike action after they failed to halt academy plans.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has confirmed that its 35 members at Crompton House — around a third of teachers — are being balloted from today on a series of one and two-day strikes.

And members of the NASUWT union are also being asked if they want to hold a ballot on industrial action after an indicative vote in January was in favour.

Opponents with flags and placards protested outside the governors’ meeting on the future of Crompton House on Thursday.

A petition was also given to governors stating that more than 80 per cent of staff object to the move.

But the Church of England secondary has agreed to ask Manchester Diocese for permission to apply for academy status.

If successful, it would remain state-funded but move outside local authority control with more freedom over the curriculum, term dates and teachers’ pay and conditions.

Crompton House was Oldham’s top state school last year for the percentage of pupils gaining five good GCSE grades, including English and maths. It was followed by Blue Coat which has already applied to become an academy.

NUT Oldham branch secretary Tony Harrison said: “They have taken the decision too quickly, they have not looked into it fully, they haven’t consulted widely enough and, in particular, they haven’t consulted with parents whatsoever.

“We will be asking our members to take strike action in the near future. We will also be leafleting parents and organising a meeting for them to hear what the consequences of changing into an academy will mean for them.”

Originally a flagship Labour policy to turn around underachieving schools, all schools have now been invited to become academies under a massive expansion by the coalition Government.

Catherine Myerscough, negotiating secretary with the NASUWT union, said: “Schools are being duped by the Government into converting to academies by being offered additional funding and certain freedoms.

“There is no evidence that standards of education are improved in an academy, but there is indication that pupils with diverse needs can be disadvantaged by methods of selection into these institutions. These plans are the naked marketisation of education and will place thousands of children and young people at the mercy of private, voluntary and independent providers.”

Crompton House head teacher Elsie Tough, who retires this year, said: “We will continue to seek the views of staff as well as those of parents and carers while gathering the more detailed information needed to make a final decision on whether to move to conversion.

“We believe that conversion will allow us not only to maintain our high standards but also to drive innovation and develop our school in ways that will ensure we continue to provide every pupil with the very best educational opportunities.”