Teachers and support staff at St Cuthbert’s High School in Rochdale have begun strike action in a dispute over proposed job cuts and staffing levels.
Members of the National Education Union have taken action from Tuesday 21 April, with further strike dates scheduled later this month and into early May. The union says the dispute centres on plans to reduce staff numbers, which it believes will affect education provision, support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and staff wellbeing.
The school became part of the St Teresa’s multi academy trust in October 2023. The union has raised concerns about staffing levels within the school, including pressures on pastoral systems and behaviour management. It has also criticised the trust’s financial priorities, including the level of pay among senior central staff.
The trust has indicated that compulsory redundancies among teaching staff may be avoided through changes to teaching roles, although full details have not been published. It has also suggested that resignations among non teaching staff could reduce the need for redundancies in that group. Redundancy risk notices issued at the end of the last term remain in place.
Two Rochdale councillors, Philip Massey and Daniel Meredith, have called for the trust to hold a meeting with parents to address concerns about the school’s management. They say they contacted the trust in March and have not yet received a response.
Union members at the school have voted to continue strike action following an indicative ballot, despite a recommendation to suspend action after recent developments. The union says staff are concerned that further job losses would increase workloads and reduce support available to pupils.
Additional strike dates are planned for April 29 and 30 and May 5, 6 and 7. There is also the possibility of further industrial action involving another teaching union.
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