School staff balloted for strike action

STAFF at a Runcorn high school could strike in protest over planned redundancies and curriculum restructure.

- BY MARK SMITH Local democracy reporter

As recently reported, Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy (OBA) has been planning the restructure - which would come into effect in September - with staff redundancies and a streamlined curriculum all on the cards.

The National Education Union (NEU) said staff had been briefed that the school was 'around £900k' in debt, with the school itself pointing the finger of blame at what it said were falling birth rates and 'projected population changes'.

But Union bosses allege the school's plight was instead down to 'mismanagement' and said it was 'seeking answers' from the Trust which runs it.

Staff are now being balloted for industrial action, with the NEU saying the usual ballot period had been extended to avoid impacting GCSE and A Level classes as well as exam dates.