Upset over redundancy threat at primary school

A union has called on Brighton and Hove City Council to step in and prevent compulsory redundancies at Moulsecoomb Primary School.
Moulsecoomb Primary School (Photograph: Google Maps)Moulsecoomb Primary School (Photograph: Google Maps)
Moulsecoomb Primary School (Photograph: Google Maps)

GMB said proposals to cut around 11 teaching support staff would be 'devastating, not only to staff forced to lose their jobs but also to the children that attend the school'.

The union said it was told that were the school not to take action on their finances, it would have a projected budget deficit of around £318,000.

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This comes after West Hove Infant School was set to cut teaching assistant roles, although the decision was reversed after a campaign by the GMB.

Mark Turner, GMB branch secretary, said: "This level of cuts to the school will be devastating, not only to staff forced to lose their jobs but also to the children that attend the school. This school provides care and education to children from of the most vulnerable areas in the city of Brighton and Hove and the GMB calls upon the local education authority, ward councillors and the leader of the council to step in to prevent these cuts.

"This is now the second school in the city to propose potential compulsory redundancies, the last school being West Hove Infants where after much lobbying and work by GMB with the school and LEA (local education authority), the compulsory redundancies were finally avoided and some other proposed cuts were also reduced.

"I have to say that in regards to Moulsecoomb Primary, this is looking very serious and very difficult to resolve, in fact my concern is that we will be on a collision course with the school and LEA on an industrial relations basis, which we still of course hope to avoid.

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"The proposals will not only effect our members losing jobs but the effective delivery of education of children attending the school, often needing a lot of support. Let’s not forget that this school is in the middle of one of the most deprived areas of the city.

"Today I have written to Pinaki Ghoshal, executive director of families, children and learning, requesting an urgent meeting with him, the school and councillors to explore ways to attempt to prevent this school from being the first to have to make compulsory redundancies.

"An additional concern however is that from information we have, this may not be the only school in the area facing the same situation. The Moulsecoomb and Bevendean area will likely face a further attack on school services."

Brighton & Hove City Council has been contacted for a comment.