Teachers strike over 'unfair treatment' at school

Teachers at a school in Hull have walked out for a second day over the "unfair treatment" of staff, their union says.

Some classes at St Andrew's CE VA Primary School, Grandale, Hull, were sent home due to strike action by National Education Union (NEU) members.

Paula Burgin from the Hull branch of NEU said staff were striking over "inconsistent application of policies around pay, sickness absence and discipline that has led to unfair treatment of staff".

A spokesperson from the school said the governing body was committed to work with the union to address the concerns that had been raised.

Ms Burgin said the dispute formally began in March when staff put forward a list of complaints to school governors.

She said policies being changed without consultation and parents' complaints not being actioned were among a "plethora of issues" raised.

Ms Burgin added that the resignations of two assistant head teachers in December had left "a bit of a vacuum at the top for leadership" which led to "disorganisation through the whole school".

Head of religious education at the school Irene Treston-Waller said there were not enough staff to adequately supervise children during playtimes.

Ms Treston-Waller, who has worked at the school for more than 12 years, said: "We are doing our best but we would really like additional support for those children who need it most.

"Overall, we've got lots of issues that have been raised and I think they all need to be addressed... and in a timely fashion so that we can get on with our job, which is not being in here; it's being out there teaching our children."

A spokesperson for the school said: "We will ensure that all parents are kept fully informed about whether there will be any further strike action, however we hope to be able to avoid this by having constructive dialogue with trade union representatives."

The BBC put staff concerns to the school, but it did not address them directly.

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