Two days of strike action at Brighton school

Teachers and support staff at Moulsecoomb Primary are set to go ahead with two days of strike action next week over controversial plans to turn the school into an academy.

Unions have said the strikes will take place on Wedneday and Thursday (April 28-29) following the announcement on Wednesday that The Pioneer Academy has been appointed as a ‘sponsor’ and is set to take over the running of the school.

National Education Union (NEU), GMB and UNISON released a joint statement claiming their attempts to correspond with Baroness Berridge, who was given responsibility for the decision, have been met with a ‘wall of silence’.

Paul Shellard, NEU Branch Secretary said: “Staff only ever take strike action as a last resort, but we know that academisation will be detrimental to the learning conditions for children and the working conditions for staff. This action is about the long-term security and success of the school.

“Gavin Williamson and Baroness Berridge claim to support schools and communities but they know nothing about the Moulsecoomb community. They are ignoring the united community opposition to taking the school away from local democratic control.

The school was rated “inadequate” by Ofsted in April 2019 which led to the Secretary of State for Education imposing an academy order, which forces the school to join a multi-academy trust.

Since then, campaigners have fought vigorously for the academy order to be revoked, arguing that the school has improved significantly since then, which they say means the school should no longer be eligible for intervention from the Department for Education.