The Head teacher at Worthing High School refused distribution of this letter, from the striking teachers, to parents, explaining why they are taking industrial action tomorrow.
Here it is in full:
Dear Parents/Carers
Members of the NUT and NASUWT
teachers unions will be taking strike action on Wednesday 11th July
2012. This is a result of the school’s
governing body voting on Thursday 30th May to become an
Academy.
We ask for your support for our
action but feel it is important to explain briefly why we are doing this.
The Governors, although faced with
91% of teachers voting in favour of strike action in indicative ballots, voted
to press ahead with the application for conversion despite such resounding
opposition. The reason for staff
opposition was not explored, leaving teachers with little option but to go
ahead with the formal ballot process.
Academies are publicly funded but
privately run schools outside of the Local Authority. The loss of the Local Authority could have a
detrimental affect for staff, parents and students alike. All the TUC affiliated education unions and
the TUC itself is opposed to schools being run in this way and believe that this
Government wants to privatise the management of education as they do with for
example, the NHS, Royal Mail and the prisons.
Even though Worthing High School
has applied to become a ‘converter’ Academy, there is no evidence that
Academies benefit students or get better examination results. The teachers are concerned for the future of
all students and staff in all schools that change to Academy status.
The Government has overspent on
converting Academies and free schools by £600 million and there is no guarantee
that the short term ‘bribe’ to get schools to become Academies will continue,
rather the reverse. All schools and
Academies will receive the same funding from April next year. In fact there has been an overpayment of more
than £120 million to Academies, with some having to pay this back this
month. The first ‘for profit’ company
has been agreed to run a free school in Suffolk. Others will follow. Should private companies profit from
‘publicly funded’ schools when the profit could be used to further benefit
students’ education?
Despite the level of opposition
from staff, parents, and the community, the Chair of Governors has claimed a
‘robust’ consultation process. The application can be withdrawn at any point up
until 80% of the way through, and there is still the opportunity to carry out
much needed investigation. We strongly
urge the Governors to reconsider its application and undertake a thorough,
balanced and informed consultation, without bias, taking into account both
sides of the argument.
The date for strike action was delayed
to ensure that the exam season had ended, enrichment week and intake day were
not affected so as to cause the least amount of disruption to the students that
we teach. Teachers and staff work
incredibly hard to achieve the best results for students at Worthing High
School. Exam results of 2011 are a
testament to that commitment. We
therefore do not take strike action lightly, but feel our hands have been
forced.
We urge you to support us by
writing to the governors via the Clerk to the Governors, c/o Worthing High
School.
Yours faithfully
NUT and NASUWT unions at Worthing High School
