Teachers from NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at St Cuthbert’s RC High School in Rochdale are beginning a further four days of strike action today (Thursday 30th April) as a result of the continued failure of Trust leadership to address serious concerns around behaviour, health and safety, staffing and resourcing.
St Teresa of Calcutta Academy Trust, which runs the school, has confirmed they intend to progress with a planned restructure which the Union believes will worsen staffing, the ability of teachers to provide a safe and calm learning environment for students and the safety of the workplace.
NASUWT believes that the Trust has failed to invest in and maintain the school, resulting in an unsafe and chaotic working environment for staff. This has led to volatile and violent behaviour from some pupils, which is not adequately addressed, and unacceptable levels of workload, high levels of staff absence and working conditions that are impeding teachers’ ability to deliver for pupils.
Teachers believe that the school has been stripped of staff and resources since it became part of St Theresa of Calcutta Academy Trust. It is of profound concern to the Union that Salford Diocese continues to force catholic schools in the area to join the Trust in light of the problems which have developed at St Cuthbert’s since St Theresa of Calcutta trust took over its running.
NASUWT teachers have already taken nine days of strike action since February and further strike action is planned for 30th April and 5th, 6th and 7th May. NASUWT will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between 8am and 8.45am.
NASUWT teachers will continue to teach their year 11 pupils on the strike days to ensure they receive continuity of support in the run up to their GCSE exams.
Matt Wrack, NASUWT General Secretary, said:
“The Trust have not only failed to address their inadequate resourcing, staffing and support for the school, they have sought to blame previous leadership, and even teachers, rather than accept responsibility for dwindling state of the school that they have had in their Trust for almost three years.
“These problems will only worsen with the changes to the staffing structure that they now intend to implement, at great cost to teachers and the students they teach.
“Teachers care about the school and intend to keep fighting for the teaching and learning conditions they and their pupils have a right to expect.
“None of the co-signatories to the recent letter to parents have met with trade unions, suggesting little attempt on their part to make meaningful attempts to resolve matters.”
Rachel Knight, NASUWT National Executive Member for Greater Manchester, said:
“Staff and pupils at St Cuthbert’s continue to be failed by the Trust. Strike action has resumed as the Trust has now confirmed that they are progressing with the restructure which will not bring any additional staffing to the school and will leave the existing staff with more hours and workload for less pay, while continuing to endure the chaotic environment that has not been adequately addressed.
“NASUWT has continued to ask the Trust to postpone the restructure and prioritise stabilising the school but they have refused, focusing instead on organisational change, rather than the immediate need for safety of staff and students and students’ education.
“Trust leaders need to take responsibility for the welfare of their staff and pupils and take meaningful action, agreed with us, to address the scale of problems at St Cuthbert’s, not making a bad situation worse with a restructure.
“We will continue to take action until teachers have a safe working environment and the resources they need to be able to provide the best standard of learning for pupils.”
