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Staff stage new strike over sixth form closure plan

Charlie O'Loughlin
BBC News
Steve Scott A white placard sign reads 'No Redundancies' in capital letters. Someone wearing a hi-vis jacket is holding it.Steve Scott
Strikes are taking place at Cottingham High School amid concern staff could be made compulsorily redundant

Staff at Cottingham High School near Hull have staged a sixth day of strike action amid fears of compulsory redundancies as a result of the planned closure of its sixth form.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) said they were also striking over planned changes to how teachers plan their lessons which it said had workload implications for staff.

Wednesday's walkout follows disruption over the past two weeks as part of ongoing industrial action. A further strike is set to take place on Thursday, with more action planned in February.

The NEU said teachers had "been left with no choice" but to take action, but the school said it hoped to resolve the dispute as soon as possible.

The union has previously said that while two members of staff were facing redundancy, there were fears the number could rise into double figures.

Steve Scott, branch secretary for the East Riding NEU, said: "Staff obviously don't want to be on the picket line. Staff would rather be in the school teaching the kids.

"But they are well aware that without taking this action, which they've been left with no choice but to take, that things at school are just going to get worse for the children in the future, and there's going to be fewer and fewer teachers there to teach."

Steve Scott A row of people wearing hi-vis jackets are seen across an empty road on a picket line. They are stood in front of banners, and many are holding white signs.Steve Scott
Members from the National Education Union joined the picket line again on Wednesday

Cottingham High School and Sixth Form College is part of The Consortium Academy Trust, which oversees 10 academies across East Yorkshire.

The school, founded in the late 1950s, now comprises two separate complexes - with more than 1,200 high school pupils and 200 students in the sixth form.

A spokesperson for the trust said: "We remain committed to continuing negotiations and, with the help of ACAS, we hope to see this dispute resolved as quickly and amicably as possible in the near future.

"In the meantime, we have done everything we can to ensure our learners' education is unaffected by the industrial action."

Steve Scott A man is seen smiling directly into the camera. He is wearing a pink hi-vis jacket, and has a purple hat reading National Education Union on it. He has glasses on, and distinctive facial hair.Steve Scott
Steve Scott said staff were prepared to continue industrial action next month "if necessary"

Mr Scott said he was "hopeful" for the outcome of a meeting with the trust set to take place on Friday.

He said the union would "seek an assurance on redundancies, and come away with a policy in place to safeguard staff within the new framework".

However, he added: "Members know exactly what they have to do, what they're being forced to do, and have notified for more strike action throughout February as well if it becomes necessary."

Further strikes are provisionally pencilled in for three days next week, and four days each week throughout February.

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