Pupils to work from home after 40 Wolverhampton school staff strike over workload and safety concerns
Some pupils at a Wolverhampton school are to work from home after 40 members of staff went on strike over concerns about workload and safety.
Industrial action at St Peter’s Collegiate School took place today and is set to continue for the next two days after union bosses accused school leaders of ignoring requests to resolve a dispute.
The school says students in the sixth form and in years' 10 and 11 will work from home for the next two days, while "special" timetables have been put in place for other pupils.
Teachers' union NASUWT said staff had raised concerns over "adverse management practices" including workload, as well as a "failure to consult" and health and safety issues.
Paul Nesbitt, the union's national executive member for Wolverhampton, said members had voted to strike as the school had failed to respond to requests to resolve the dispute and did not take up the offer of a meeting on Monday afternoon.
"I am disappointed that the school has put members in this position and it cannot keep simply ignore the concerns that members have raised," he added.
"The style of management and lack of appropriate consultation has to change immediately. It is not very often that we see employers fail to meet with NASUWT on the eve of industrial action with a view to resolve the issues.
Overseen
"This issue is not going away and the feelings of the members are clear in that they are now proceeding with the remaining days of action."
St Peter's is overseen by the Lichfield Diocese. It is due to be officially taken over by the diocese's newly formed Three Spires Trust on May 1.
According to the school, 40 members of staff were on strike on Tuesday, although NASUWT said the figure was "nearly 50".
Dr David Lee, chair of Three Spires Trust, said: "The school pre-arranged for sixth-form students to work from home on set pieces of their coursework.
"The rest of the school’s students, in Key Stages 3 and 4, came in as usual after the school arranged a special timetable for them.
"To ensure that all students’ learning continues, this will happen again on Wednesday and Thursday for Key Stage 3; while Key Stage 4 students, and sixth-form students, will work from home.
"Members of Three Spires Trust are supporting the school through this time as they put these measures in place so that that students’ education is not disrupted.
"We would like to reiterate our thanks to the staff who came into work, students, parents and the community for their ongoing support and cooperation."
