Teachers at Sinfin Community School on picket line duty over academy proposal
TEACHERS at Sinfin Community School are beginning a second day of strike action today in opposition to the school becoming an academy.
About 50 members of the National Union of Teachers and National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers manned a picket line at the school, in Arleston Lane, yesterday. The school was closed to all but a few year 11 pupils and will be shut again today.
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Front from left, teacher and NUT rep Ian Matthews, teacher and NASUWT rep Mike Parry and teacher and NUT rep Nicola Scope in front of the striking staff.
It has been ordered to become an academy by Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove, after it failed an Ofsted inspection in February.
On Monday night, the first academy consultation meeting was labelled "absolute nonsense" by NUT branch secretary Ian Jennison.
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He said: "Not enough notice was given to parents and there was no interpreter for non-English speakers. We are looking to organise a more informed public meeting in January."
Comments
by Bernithebolt
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 9:29PM
“They are both political moves!
However, the key for me is the local parents. They know the situation and are voting with their feet. The numbers are falling like a stone. Surely when a community school loses the confidence of it's community it is time for a big change. The two most successful secondaries in Derby Landau Forte and Chellaston have distanced themselves from Derby CC as much as possible. Is this a coincidence, I think not. It is difficult to see how anyone at all can have any confidence in a way forward that involves Derby CC.
Creating Landau Forte was a political move, a good Tory one. Creating Academies was a political move by Labour mostly a good one. Opposing Academies by Derby CC is apolitical move. That is what governments and councils do! The choice is simple plan A and Derby CC or plan B and someone else. Plan A hasn't worked for decades. Surely it is time for plan B.”
by PhilipH51
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 8:30PM
“Why should an academy be the solution? Perhaps read the OFSTED report on Ormiston Ilkeston Academy which this week went into special measures with thee of four judgements as inadequate. Community schools need to be centred in their community, not be run by distant organisations. The combined efforts of the city, the staff and the community governors as were, had a chance of success at Sinfin if we read the monitoring letter from October, so the forced academy is a political move far more than is the current strike.”
by Bernithebolt
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 12:20PM
“Obviously the parents are weary and tired of what is going on. What Mr Jennison means is that there weren't lots of parents supporting the union view. Obviously the meeting that he helps to organise will be different as they will manage the audience and speakers.
I have posted before the most obvious truth. That is that the parents are clearly expressing their views of Sinfin Community School. How are they doing this? By sending their children to other schools. The numbers in the lowest year group are below 100. Appalling for a secondary school. They will not rise significantly next year. Job losses are inevitable.
The unions are thrashing about like dying whales. They are out of their depth. Having read many of their comments it is clear they would be out of their depth in a saucer of milk! Academy proposal? Bring it on ASAP and sort this mess out so that the few parents and pupils remaining have a chance of an education!”