Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at St Cuthbert’s RC High School in Rochdale began nine days of strike action over the failure of the trust leadership to provide adequate staffing and resources and to put in place systems to address violent and abusive behaviour from some pupils.
The Union believes that St Teresa of Calcutta Academy Trust has failed to invest in and maintain the school, resulting in an unsafe and chaotic working environment for staff, which has resulted in volatile and violent behaviour, unsustainable levels of workload, high levels of staff absence, and working conditions that are impeding teachers’ ability to deliver for pupils.
Teachers have been hit, shoved, grabbed, sworn at, threatened and slammed with doors. Pupils have smashed windows, overturned tables and kicked doors open. Teachers have had to receive hospital treatment for their injuries in some cases.
Members believe that the school has been stripped of staff and resources since it became part of St Theresa of Calcutta Academy Trust and that this has contributed to the turmoil at the school. There has been an overall reduction of more than 20 members of staff which is driving up workloads for remaining staff and leaving important roles unfilled, further exacerbating challenges in managing pupil behaviour and meeting pupils’ needs.
Funding for educational equipment and resources has dwindled to the point where members report that even basics such as books and pens are in short supply.
Strike action is planned for 24th, 25th and 26th February, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th, 11th and 12th March. The NASUWT will be picketing outside the school on each strike day between 8am and 8.45am.
Matt Wrack, NASUWT General Secretary, said:
“We first made the Trust aware of the serious health and safety risks in 2024 and at the time measures were put in place to address the concerns of staff. However, the situation at the school has subsequently deteriorated and despite repeated attempts to raise these issues with the Trust the threat to the safety and welfare of staff and pupils is continuing to escalate.
“The school has had four headteachers in the last 18 months. There is constant change with no stability or consistency in systems or procedures. Unsurprisingly this has led to high levels of staff turnover and staff absence. The health and wellbeing of our members is seriously suffering due to the way in which the school is being run, with some members reporting working 60-70 hour weeks.
“This situation cannot be allowed to continue. Presently both staff and students are being put at risk by the way in which the school is being run. The move to strike action must make the employer realise that it needs to put in place immediate measures to make the school safe, to reduce staff workloads and to arrest the decline in the school environment.”
Rachel Knight, NASUWT National Executive Member for Greater Manchester, said:
“At present truancy is endemic within the school, with pupils roaming the site unsupervised, barging into classrooms and attacking and verbally abusing other pupils and staff.
“We believe violence, abuse and disruption from pupils has been normalised by school management, with incidents not being dealt with appropriately and a lack of consistent sanctions for pupils.
“Members do not feel safe when they go into work and have little confidence in the way in which they or the school are being managed.
“They have been forced into taking strike action to raise the alarm, not just for themselves, but for the pupils at St Cuthbert’s who are also being systematically failed by the employer.”
