Willenhall E-ACT Academy teachers walk out over safety fears
Teachers at a failing Walsall school where Ofsted inspectors were pelted with food walked out over safety fears today.
An estimated 40 members of teaching staff and union reps were on the picket line from 7.30am until 9am.
The action at Willenhall E-Act Academy was being taken by members of National Union of Teachers (NUT) and NASUWT Teachers Union over ‘unreasonable’ management and safety of staff.
WATCH: Footage from the picket line
Anne Brimacombe, executive member of the NASUWT, said teachers have 'had enough'.
"Teachers and union representatives are out on strike today because they've had serious concerns about behaviour management in the school as well as other management practices," Ms Brimacombe said.
"They haven't been addressed after a whole year of discussions and have had enough. They don't want to go on strike but they need to be listened to.
"We hope that the [school's] leadership will not only agree to a meeting but listen to what the teachers have to say and make some changes.
"There's been a huge turnover of staff at this academy, three headteachers this year and last year 70% of teachers left. They need some stability but actually need to be listened to."
Unions have also announced two further walk-outs on July 5 and 6, and are not ruling out more if demands for better support are not met.
Russ Bragger, general secretary of the Walsall NUT, said 'urgent talks' had been requested tomorrow in an attempt to resolve the situation.
"We've been on strike today because we're really concerned that E-Act and the school haven't been listening to the staff," he said.
"We've had a brilliant turnout - loads of teachers have been outside the school giving the message loud and clear that they want to work with the school and have their voice heard to improve it.
"We've asked for urgent talks tomorrow to try and resolve this. There are two strikes planned for Thursday and Friday next week but I think if E-Act are serious and will sit down and talk to us we can get a resolution before then. That's what we want and the teachers want.
"It's been at least two years there've been problems. At least two years we've been talking to the different managers that they've been over the time, bringing concerns of the teachers but unfortunately we haven't been listened to.
"The staff are really worried about [pupils missing lessons] - they do want to improve the school for the children and the community but unfortunately have got to the end of their tether and are not being listened to. It will help the children and the parents when we get a resolution."
One parent, who asked not to be named, said: "It's bad that some of the children might miss lessons but changes need to be made.
"So many teachers have left in the past year or so and there's been a fair few headteachers. Things need to improve."
Last night, unions bosses said around 60 of the teaching staff at the school were members. But bosses said they will bring in teachers from elsewhere to avoid having to shut to pupils today.
The school was put it in special measures earlier this year after a damning Ofsted inspection, which found 70 per cent of teachers left the school during 2015 and 2016.
It also found over a third of pupils in Years 7 to 11 are persistently absent, and Ofsted inspectors were pelted with food by misbehaving children during the visit.
A spokesman for E-ACT said the strike action was ‘extremely disruptive’ and revealed it had offered to delay bringing in a new timetable as part of a deal for the walk-out to be called off, but to no avail.
Russ Bragger, secretary at Walsall NUT, said: “We are very concerned about the safety of staff, the school’s behaviour management systems and unreasonable management demands.
"They need the support, or we will keep seeing the high turnover which is damaging any prospect of this school improving.”
The Ofsted report published in May rated the school ‘inadequate’ in every category.
Now in special measures, the school will be monitored more closely by the education watchdog to ensure improvement.
The NUT said: “We have been unable to get E-ACT to address the staff’s concerns and suggestions for improving the school that have been put forward over many months. We therefore have no option but to sanction action.”
The spokesman for E-ACT said: “Naturally, we have been keen to avert the strike action, and to this end, we offered to delay the implementation of a new timetable if the NUT and NASUWT agree to call off the strike.
"Sadly, the unions have rejected this offer. We can confirm that supported by colleagues from elsewhere in E-ACT, the academy will be opening as normal today.”
He added: “We take seriously the concerns raised by union members.”
