School teachers to strike during exams

TEACHERS at a Redcar secondary are set to walk out for six days over plans to extend the school day.

- By LORNA HUGHES & FELICITY COLLINSON

The trust that runs Outwood Academy Redcar, in Kirkleatham Lane, Redcar and Cleveland, says the current school day falls short of the government's 32.5-hour-a-week minimum.

And now bosses from Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) hope to extend the day by an extra 30 minutes across its 28 secondary schools, meaning it would end at 3pm rather than the current 2.30pm.

National Education Union (NEU) members at the school has organised strikes across 14 OGAT schools in the North East, East Midlands, Yorkshire, and North West in protest over the issue.

Outwood Academy Redcar is the only school on Teesside with planned protests. Action is planned for June 3, 10 and 11 and for three consecutive days from June 17 - days when the trust says pupils have “important” exams. There will be pickets at the schools from 7.30am until 9am on each of these days.

The union though, says the proposed change to the school day will lead to a “substantial increase in workload and a struggle to retain teachers” and is being implemented without proper consultation.

They claim it will lead to increased workload, stress, reduced planning time, a deterioration in work-life balance for teachers and support staff and issues over the retention and recruitment of teachers.

Beth Farhat, NEU regional secretary, said: “Staff at Outwood Academy in Redcar and Cleveland are strongly committed to the pupils and community they serve.

“They do not take strike action lightly and have been forced into this position by an employer that simply will not listen.