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ASSISTANT principal Aisha Thomas is founder of Representation Matters, an organisation aiming to challenge inequality and the lack of representation in the education system.

She recently ran a course at the NEU for Black female educators in leadership (see page 14). Aisha said: “This year saw a global pandemic that stole lives, hopes and dreams, yet the union used its power to fight for all educators, while acknowledging the disproportionate effect it was having on Black members. “The pain was exacerbated by the death of George Floyd. The trauma of my everyday experience was everywhere. The world could see what I had been screaming for years. This time has not been easy for any of us. But being a member of a union that acknowledges there is more to do, while taking a stand to make change, provides hope in a moment of educational darkness.”

repmatters.co.uk #RepresentationMatters

Photo by Rosie Parsons

Academy news Parents ‘kept in the dark’ back strikers

MEMBERS at a primary school in Northampton held two days of strike action in January against plans to academise.

NEU members at Sywell Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School were on strike for two days, with active support from parents. Their Hands Off Sywell School group has also been protesting against the takeover and lobbying governors and the chief executive.

Patrick Markey, secretary of Northampton District NEU, said: “Staff at Sywell have been delighted by the strong support of parents. Parents know that once the school is forced to become an academy there is no going back as under the law they could never become a community school again. The NEU shares their concerns.”

Staff were due to strike last year against the takeover by Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (PDET) but suspended their action in order to ensure key workers and vulnerable children could attend the school during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Parents presented a petition with more than 850 signatures and held a socially distant ‘beep’ protest outside the school, urging chair of governors Darren Parnell and Duncan Mills, the chief executive of PDET, to listen to the staff and local community.

NEU members say PDET has reneged on a public promise to halt the academisation if the community opposed it and is pushing forward despite the pandemic.

One parent explained: “I feel really let down. I have two children at the school and don’t know who the governors represent. Myself and several other parents have written to the governors and had no response. They’ve kept parents in the dark.”

Due to Covid restrictions and union guidance, members decided not to picket and the school remained opened to vulnerable children and those of key workers.

Parents took part in a ‘beep’ protest outside school

Sign the petition at chng.it/VsBPXyPK

Council pushes for academisation despite lockdown

MEMBERS are to be balloted on industrial action after governors at two schools facing academisation refused to halt consultation during the lockdown.

The governing bodies were imposed at Peacehaven Heights and Telscombe Cliffs primary schools in East Sussex after the original governors were sacked when they would not let an academy trust take over the schools in 2019.

The NEU wrote to the existing governors asking them to postpone consultation on academisation because parents and staff were unable to hold physical meetings and discussions about the proposals under existing Covid restrictions.

The request was rejected at the end of January and earlier indicative ballots of members showed support to move to industrial action to prevent the schools being handed over. The date for a formal ballot had not been confirmed as Educate went to press.

Phil Clarke, NEU joint branch secretary, said local people were being treated with contempt by East Sussex County Council which imposed the governing bodies.

Repeating the request to postpone consultation until the pandemic is over, he said: “To press ahead with a consultation when parents can’t even meet in person and discuss the merits is inexcusable.

“Our members never strike unless it is a last resort and were very keen to do all they could to avoid a strike when the children’s education is already so disrupted.”

n GWYNEDD County Council in north Wales has also refused to postpone consultation on the future of a village school until after the pandemic.

Ysgol Abersoch, which has just ten pupils, faces closure as a cost-saving move but parents and governors opposed the proposals and requested postponement of the consultation during coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

The only concession from the council was to extend the consultation period for a week – it closed on 23 February.

NEU members striking against academisation at Peacehaven Heights in 2019 – they won then, but are being forced to ballot all over again