| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Acton High School-one parent's perspective on what a better school it may be! | |
| Posted by: | Ansa Sheikh | |
| Date/Time: | 13/05/18 18:39:00 |
| I don't know why Ark weren't able to come to the table earlier. I think there is a procedure that has to be followed but don't quote me as I'm not very familiar with these things. As for the striking teachers casually considering the impact on the children, I don't think it's quite that straightforward. I suspect, and these are just my personal thoughts on the matter, that teachers felt they had no choice but to strike given the circumstances they were facing. Under the original ballot paper three issues were listed according to The Teacher this month. Strike action was planned against the previous (now suspended) head and deputy, behaviour and safety in the school and Ark coming in. I think there was profound unhappiness and anger and when strike action was being planned and the ballot submitted (again, sorry, I'm completely ignorant on how these things happen), all three issues were pertinent. However, two of this issues are being addressed very seriously. The previous head and deputy have been suspended and there is an investigation under way and a behaviour audit has been conducted by John Noel, Assistant Head and Director of Pupil Progress (inclusion) at Featherstone High School and the feedback from staff is that the work he is very good and he is supporting them. So we have one issue left on the ballot paper but the strikes were planned against all three issues. The NEU won't re ballot on just Ark. So here we are, three days of strikes per week which is completely disproportionate to the remaining issue. Pupils and parents are having to work out how to manage this and there has been no compromise on the NEU's parts. The planned escalation would have upset me but kind of made sense when you were wanting people to sit up and think about "bullying, nepotism and a culture of intimidation". Those are hard issues to manage. But now, I think it's just wrong. The right to strike is an important right and unions play an important role in all areas of the workforce but it is as much a responsibility as a right and this strike is now, with just one unresolved issue left on the ballot paper, irresponsible. Just because three days a week were planned, it does not mean three days a week have to be stuck to. With regards to a lack of effort on behalf of the teaching staff, I was trying to find data to see exactly what sort of position AHS was in before this whole mess started. Please look at this: www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/101932 . It doesn't make comfortable reading. Something is not going right at the school. If it's not effort, than it's effectiveness. For such an important and crucial profession as teaching, the teachers must want all their efforts to be effective, otherwise what's the point? |