Union apologises for school strikes

OLDHAM NUT leaders have apologised to parents for the inconvenience when strike action hits schools across the borough tomorrow.

The walkout over pension changes by around 1,400 teachers will leave only 22 of Oldham’s 105 schools fully open.

There are 59 schools closing for the day with 24 partly closing, where only certain year groups or classes will be taught.

Oasis Academy North is the only secondary school staying fully open. Blue Coat will be part open while the rest — Crompton House, Failsworth, Hathershaw College, North Chadderton, Oasis Academy, Our Ladies, Radclyffe, Royton and Crompton, Saddleworth, St Augustine’s and Waterhead Academy — will all close.

Oldham Sixth Form College will stay open but some lessons will be disrupted.

Parents of pupils at partly-closed schools will be told by head teachers whether their children should attend. Anyone in doubt is advised to contact the school directly.

Non-striking staff will still be able to attend many of the schools that are closed to enable them to get on with other work.

The University and Colleges Union (UCU) is also striking. University Campus Oldham is not anticipating disruption though as most classes have been completed for the summer.

There are around 2,500 teachers in Oldham with 1,100 National Union of Teachers (NUT) members and up to 300 Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) members involved.

Oldham NUT secretary Tony Harrison apologised for the inconvenience caused, particularly to working parents, but insisted his members had been forced into action.

He said: “Teachers do not take strike action very easily. We realise that school closures cause problems for parents. I know this because I am a parent of two young children myself and their school will be closed. We do not like taking strike action but we believe we have no choice.

“We believe these pension changes will be damaging for teachers and for education. Parents need to know that teachers and other public-sector workers are being asked to pay 50 per cent more for their pensions, work longer and get a smaller pension when they retire — some teachers will be expected to work until they are 68. It is not in the interest of young people to be taught by teachers of this age.

“I know that many private-sector workers have no proper pension scheme. The Government should be acting on this, not reducing public-sector pensions.

“Damaging teachers’ pensions will lead to more teacher shortages and turnover, which will in turn damage children’s education.”

There are not expected to be any pickets in Oldham, with striking teachers instead joining a march through Manchester.

It’s the first national strike in the ATL’s 127-year history.

Branch secretary Iain Windeatt said: “It’s a really sad day. I did not come into teaching to come out on strike but it looks as though the Government isn’t listening.”




CHRONICLE GUIDE TO STRIKE-HIT OLDHAM SCHOOLS



Open/Closed/Part comments



Alexandra Park Part open to non-striking staff

Alt Primary Part open to non-striking staff

Bare Trees Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Beever Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Beal Vale Open

Blackshaw Lane Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Blue Coat Part open to non-striking staff

Broadfield Closed open to non-striking staff

Buckstones Part open to non-striking staff

Burnley Brow Part open to non-striking staff

Chadderton Hall Closed open to non-striking staff

Christ Church Chadderton Closed open to non-striking staff

Christ Church Denshaw Closed open to non-striking staff

Clarksfield Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Coppice Primary closed open to non-striking staff

Corpus Christi RC Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Crompton House Closed open to non-striking staff

Crompton Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Delph Primary Part open to non-striking staff

Diggle Part open to non-striking staff

East Crompton - St Georges Open

East Crompton - St James Open

Failsworth Closed open to non-striking staff

Firbank Open

Freehold Community Part open to non-striking staff

Friezland Part open to non-striking staff

Glodwick Infant Open will review a.m. 30th June

Greenacres Closed open to non-striking staff

Greenfield Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Greenfield St Mary’s Closed open to non-striking staff

Greenhill Primary Part open to non-striking staff

Greenhill St Marys Closed open to non-striking staff

Hathershaw College of Sp & Tech Closed open to non-striking staff

Hey with Zion Open to be reviewed

Higher Failsworth Closed open to non-striking staff

Hodge Clough Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Holy Cross CE Primary Part open to non-striking staff

Holy Family RC Primary Part open to non-striking staff

Holy Rosary RC Open

Holy Trinity CE Dobcross Closed open to non-striking staff

Horton Mill Closed open to non-striking staff

Kingfisher Community Closed open to non-striking staff

Kingsland Closed open to non-striking staff

Knowsley Junior Closed open to non-striking staff

Limehurst Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Limeside Closed open to non-striking staff

Littlemoor Closed open to non-striking staff

Lyndhurst Closed open to non-striking staff

Mather Closed open to non-striking staff

Mayfield Open

Medlock Valley Primary Part open to non-striking staff

Mills Hill Primary Part open to non-striking staff

Newbridge /Learning Centre Closed open to non-striking staff

North Chadderton Closed open to non-striking staff

Oasis Academy Closed open to non-striking staff

Oldham Academy North Open to be reviewed next week

Our Lady’s & Sacred Heart RC Open

Our Lady’s RC Secondary Closed open to non-striking staff

Propps Hall CP closed open to non-striking staff

Richmond Open

Roundthorn Primary closed open to non-striking staff

royton & Crompton Closed Closed to both

Royton Hall Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Rushcroft Open

Saddleworth Closed open to non-striking staff

South Failsworth Closed open to non-striking staff

Springbrook Closed open to non-striking staff

Springhead Infant and Nursery Closed open to non-striking staff

SS Aidan and Oswald Closed open to non-striking staff

St Agnes CE Part open to non-striking staff

St Anne’s CE Lydgate Primary Part open to non-striking staff

St Anne’s RC Part open to non-striking staff

St Anne’s CE Royton Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

St Augustine’s Closed open to non-striking staff

St Chad’s Open

St Edwards RC Primary Part open to non-striking staff

St Herbert’s RC Primary Open

St Hilda’s CE Primary Part open to non-striking staff

St Hugh’s CE Primary Open

St John’s CE Infant Open

St John’s CE Junior Open

St Joseph’s RC Open

St Luke’s Part open to non-striking staff

St Margaret’s CE Primary Part open to non-striking staff

St Martin’s CE Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

St Mary’s CE High Crompton Closed open to non-striking staff

St Mary’s RC Primary Part open to non-striking staff

St Matthew’s CE Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

St Patrick’s RC Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

St Paul’s CE Closed open to non-striking staff

St Thomas Leesfield Closed open to non-striking staff

St Thomas CE (VA) Moorside Open

St Thomas CE Werneth Closed open to non-striking staff

Stanley Road Closed open to non-striking staff

Stoneleigh Closed open to non-striking staff

The Radclyffe Closed open to non-striking staff

Thornham St James’ CE Open

Thorp Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Waterhead Academy Closed open to non-striking staff

Watersheddings Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Werneth Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Westwood Primary Closed open to non-striking staff

Whitegate End Primary Open will review a.m. 30th June

Woodhouses Part open to non-striking staff

Yew Tree Community Part open to non-striking staff