AN education trust behind a number of Lichfield schools has warned parents that closures may be “unavoidable” when teachers walk out next month in a row over planned redundancies.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) at the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership have confirmed they will strike on a number of days in January.
They say that large-scale redundancies would “damage students’ education” – and have questioned the amount of money spent on the central trust.
Chris Denson, national executive member of the NEU, said:
“Members are really concerned for the students that they teach. Any cuts should come from the massive central office spend, not from teachers and support staff who do so much for the children that they support day in, day out.
“Cutting pupil facing roles will always damage education, wherever it happens.
“The massive central spend and central structure need to be cut, not support for students and their teachers and support staff jobs.”
In a statement online, the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership said that “early indications” suggest the likes of The Bridge Academy and Greysbrooke Primary School in Shenstone are unlikely to be impacted by the strike.
But the trust – which also operates Anna Seward Primary School, Scotch Orchard Primary School, St Chad’s Primary School, St Michael’s Primary School and Nether Stowe School – admitted other sites some sites could be closed when teachers walk out.
The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership’s statement said:
“This notification of industrial action was received just a day before the end of term, so we are still assessing how this will impact our schools.
“While we respect the right of unions to take industrial action, it is regrettable that this may impact children and young people.
“During any industrial action, school leaders will do their utmost to minimise disruption. However, some school closures may be unavoidable.
“If this is necessary, we will prioritise support for students in exam years and vulnerable children, as we did during the Covid period.”
The trust has also said the redundancies were required as a result of “significant overstaffing” which had been “masked by an accounting error in 2022-23”.
It added:
“When the error was identified, it was discovered that staffing levels were significantly high.
“Through the hard work of everyone across the trust we have managed to reduce this, but unfortunately more is needed to reduce staff expenditure to nationally accepted key performance indicators.
“It is also incorrect to suggest the central team are not facing cuts. The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership central team are affected as much as staff in schools.
“Any suggestion that schools pay a 20% ‘top slice’ is misleading, as is the comparison to the typical ‘top slice’.
“The trust operates central services, meaning roles that would traditionally sit in school budgets like caretakers, cleaners and kitchen staff are provided centrally. Repair and maintenance and IT budgets also come from the centre meaning school leaders do not need to worry about unexpected costs.
“This is not top slicing. These are costs that the school would normally fund directly.
“The NEU’s persistent use of the term ‘top slice’ is a deliberate effort to mislead and suggest the trust is taking too much of school’s money, which is simply not true.
“The proportion of money allocated to frontline teaching staff is absolutely in line with nationally accepted key performance indicators.”
The proposed strike dates are:
- 14th January
- 15th January
- 20th January
- 21st January
- 22nd January
- 26th January
- 27th January
- 28th January
- 29th January
Don’t grow beyond your means. Stop paying huge senior salaries. Get better accountants.