Members of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union at Sturminster Newton High School in Dorset are taking strike action today (Tuesday) in protest at restructuring plans.
 
The Sherborne Area Schools Trust (SAST), which runs Sturminster Newton and Shaftesbury schools, is pushing ahead with plans to cut teachers’ jobs and cut the pay of subject leads and head of year posts. The NASUWT believes this is unacceptable and will significantly impact the remaining teachers’ workloads, their pay and status and will be detrimental to pupils’ education.
 
NASUWT members at Shaftsbury School have already taken strike action over the plans and now teachers at Sturminster Newton are striking, with further days of action planned in September.
 
Matt Wrack, NASUWT Acting General Secretary, said:
 
“The SAST have stated that they are focused on what matters most – the experiences and outcomes of students. Such sentiments are hard to square with this drive to make experienced and skilled teachers redundant, whilst downgrading the pay and status of subject and year leads.
 
“We believe there are alternative solutions which could be found which would protect jobs and education delivery and we repeat our call to the Trust to work with us to find a sensible way forward for the good of staff, pupils and parents.”
 
Mike Leigh, National Executive Member for Dorset, said:
 
“SAST needs to recognise the strength of opposition across the school community and revise their plans.
 
“Expecting fewer teachers to do more with less is not conducive to maintaining the high standards of teaching and learning that teachers want to deliver and pupils and parents have a right to expect.
 
“Teachers are a school’s most valuable asset, but right now staff feel they are being treated as disposable commodities to be swopped around at the whim of the Trust, with seemingly little consideration for their welfare or professionalism.”