Teachers at Lily Lane Primary School in Manchester and Ravensfield Primary School in Tameside – part of Changing Lives in Collaboration (CLiC) Trust – will begin strike action on Tuesday 6th January.
 
Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at both schools report that pupil-on-teacher and pupil-on pupil-assaults have grown to untenable levels, and that leaders are refusing to acknowledge or resolve urgent issues around health and safety, safeguarding, or staff safety and wellbeing. In some cases, the schools’ culture of violence is causing pupils to be fearful of attending school.
 
At Lily Lane Primary School, teachers say that:

• Assaults on staff and pupils are an almost daily occurrence but leaders are failing to consistently employ an effective behaviour policy
• Leaders are ignoring teachers’ concerns over the unmet needs of pupils with highly complex special needs
• Teachers are completely unsupported to deal with high levels of aggression from pupils
• Teachers raising concerns have been subject to adverse management practises, including suspension and un-renewed contracts.

At Ravensfield Primary School, teachers say that:

• Pupils bite, kick, hit and spit at staff, as well as throwing furniture and bringing knives to school
• Incidents of pupil aggression have led to classes being put in lockdown
• Pupils have climbed balconies and roamed school unsupervised during class time, and leadership’s answer has been to lock fire doors
• No risk assessments have been conducted, no adequate policies to protect staff and pupils are in place, and staff remain unsupported to deal with aggressive or threatening behaviour from pupils.

Matt Wrack, General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said:
 
“This strike represents an unprecedented event for our union: two primary schools from the same academy trust taking action over worryingly similar concerns.
 
“It is fair to say that this strike constitutes a declaration of emergency from the teachers. The health and safety of everyone at these schools is at risk.
 
“A safe environment is the only way teachers can teach and pupils can learn. Not only are school and trust leaders failing in their basic duty of care to provide this environment, but they have gone as far as to intimidate and punish staff who report concerns. This cannot continue.”
 
Rachel Knight and Jac Casson, National Executive Members for Greater Manchester, said:
 
“Working conditions at these CLiC Trust schools are devastating the teachers. They are desperate for change.
 
“Alongside their physical injuries, teachers are suffering high levels of stress and anxiety which are affecting their entire lives. All they want is to go to work in a safe environment and to be able to keep their pupils safe. Instead, they are subjected to contempt and negligence from leaders.  
 
“We have raised complex concerns with the Chair of Trustees at CLiC. Leaders have known about strike action for a month but have failed to engage in good faith or to make urgently needed improvements.
 
“Our teachers have taken the brave and necessary step of saying: no more.”