Around 25 NUT members went on strike on Wednesday 23rd May over plans to transfer the school to the Collaborative Academies Trust, the ‘not for profit’ arm of Edison Learning.
The school is in a satisfactory OFSTED category but has elected to transfer to this sponsor with no consultation with staff students, parents or the local community.
Edison Learning have been associated with leading the school for over 3 years and are therefore presumably partly responsible for why there are perceived to be any current problems meeting Gove and OFSTEDs new criteria.
In response to the strike the Headteacher had closed the school for the day to all students and started exam leave revision classes early.
Strikers turned out to picket along with support from UCU and UNISON Local Govt and Health branches. There was wide media coverage including from BBC Radio and Look East and ITV Anglia News.
The school is insisting that with a staff meeting on 28th May and a formal consultation to run until 22nd June, with TUPE scheduled to finish on 5th July the ‘Governors have not made up their minds’.
Gordon White
