TEACHERS at a Bolton secondary school will walk out on strike again next month.
Members of the NUT who work at Withins School in Breightmet will take a day of industrial action on Thursday, May 8, over plans to transform it school into an academy.
The results of a ballot of union members was announced earlier this week, revealing 94 per cent of staff who took part were in favour of strike action.
As part of the Government's academy plans, Withins will be transformed into a £30 million complex where existing pupils, along with those from Top o' th' Brow Primary and Firwood Special School, will be taught.
Work on the new academy, which will be one of the first in the country, is due to be completed by 2010.
But teachers insist they want to remain within the Bolton "family" of schools and be funded and managed by the local authority.
advertisement
Philip Roberts, NUT representative at Withins, said: "This strike shows the strength of feeling and will hopefully send a message to the local authority that we want to stay in that family of schools."
The school, which is one of the most improved secondary schools in the country after being placed in special measures in 2003, is due to officially become an academy on the current site in September.
The Government contributes typically about £25 million towards an academy and extra money is secured from private bodies. The private organisation runs the school outside of the local education authority's funding control, but still operates it within all the national requirements for curriculum and standards.
Withins is the first school in the borough to achieve academy status. Hayward School in Great Lever has also applied.
Posted by: dawnye, breightmet on 9:32am Fri 25 Apr 08
i understand the teachers walk out for more pay but would like to point out that the schools wouldnt even run without the cleaners, site staff and dinner assistants and kitchen staff and we get paid alot less and are struggling just as much!
i understand the teachers walk out for more pay but would like to point out that the schools wouldnt even run without the cleaners, site staff and dinner assistants and kitchen staff and we get paid alot less and are struggling just as much!
Posted by: John Gov, Bolton on 9:47am Fri 25 Apr 08
Good point dawnye but as I understand it teachers have not been striking for more pay. They have been striking in opposition to a proposed pay settlement that would leave them less well paid. The action at Withins however is in opposition to the "privatisation" of education provision in the Breightmet/Harwood area. How many residents of Breightmet and Harwood were consulted over this course of action? Who is the driving force behind the proposal? Who will profit from the change to academy status? A little bit of local democracy wouldn't go amiss.
Good point dawnye but as I understand it teachers have not been striking for more pay. They have been striking in opposition to a proposed pay settlement that would leave them less well paid. The action at Withins however is in opposition to the "privatisation" of education provision in the Breightmet/Harwood area. How many residents of Breightmet and Harwood were consulted over this course of action? Who is the driving force behind the proposal? Who will profit from the change to academy status? A little bit of local democracy wouldn't go amiss.
Too right.
No-one is denying the hard work of some teachers, but a bit of perspective is needed.
Teachers are well paid.
Any money going to bumper pay increases has to be found from school budgets somewhere.
Which is from taxes.
If there are any starving teachers out there, give me a bell and I'll cook you a nice dinner.
Too right.
No-one is denying the hard work of some teachers, but a bit of perspective is needed.
Teachers are well paid.
Any money going to bumper pay increases has to be found from school budgets somewhere.
Which is from taxes.
If there are any starving teachers out there, give me a bell and I'll cook you a nice dinner.
go teachers
go teachers
go teachers
teachers are up there with nurses who are real angels, the fire service, soldiers and the police force who are all real heroes.
can't the government take some money of UK celebreties? who do the devil's work.
go teachers
go teachers
go teachers
teachers are up there with nurses who are real angels, the fire service, soldiers and the police force who are all real heroes.
can't the government take some money of UK celebreties? who do the devil's work.
I'm sure everyone agrees that (most) teachers are heroes.
That's why they've been so well looked after on pay.
If you make the starting salary £30K you won't get better teachers, just the same ones that would accept £20K+ plus a few more avaricious ones.
I'm sure everyone agrees that (most) teachers are heroes.
That's why they've been so well looked after on pay.
If you make the starting salary £30K you won't get better teachers, just the same ones that would accept £20K+ plus a few more avaricious ones.
Posted by: David, Sharples on 12:56pm Fri 25 Apr 08
I am not surprised they are on strike. Many young teachers had student loans to get through college. The government charges interest at an 'inflation rate' of 4.8% but when in comes to wages, the 'inflation rate' is only 2.45% You don't need to be a maths teacher to see the dishonesty here.
I am not surprised they are on strike. Many young teachers had student loans to get through college. The government charges interest at an 'inflation rate' of 4.8% but when in comes to wages, the 'inflation rate' is only 2.45% You don't need to be a maths teacher to see the dishonesty here.
Posted by: lilyofbolton, Horwich on 1:00pm Fri 25 Apr 08
I just hope some provision has been made for the kids doing exams!
Whilst the teachers will go back to work with or without the rise,these kids only get 1 chance for these exams, this can affect their lives for all time!!
I just hope some provision has been made for the kids doing exams!
Whilst the teachers will go back to work with or without the rise,these kids only get 1 chance for these exams, this can affect their lives for all time!!
Posted by: Boltonbabe, Bolton on 5:36pm Fri 25 Apr 08
The point of the article is that teachers and staff are being sold as though they are part of the fixtures and fittings. The majority of teachers and staff are opposed to the academy.
The strike is to make people realise what is really going on instead of listening to the propaganda spouted by the Headteacher and the LEA.
The point of the article is that teachers and staff are being sold as though they are part of the fixtures and fittings. The majority of teachers and staff are opposed to the academy.
The strike is to make people realise what is really going on instead of listening to the propaganda spouted by the Headteacher and the LEA.
Posted by: Boltonbabe, Bolton on 5:36pm Fri 25 Apr 08
The point of the article is that teachers and staff are being sold as though they are part of the fixtures and fittings. The majority of teachers and staff are opposed to the academy.
The strike is to make people realise what is really going on instead of listening to the propaganda spouted by the Headteacher and the LEA.
The point of the article is that teachers and staff are being sold as though they are part of the fixtures and fittings. The majority of teachers and staff are opposed to the academy.
The strike is to make people realise what is really going on instead of listening to the propaganda spouted by the Headteacher and the LEA.
Posted by: sharon, Little Hulton on 1:49am Sat 26 Apr 08
Police allowed to go on stike, firefighters allowed to go on strike, prison officers officers? Ummm kids got SATS next week, Yeah u go for it, GCSE's coming up shortly, go for it!
Police allowed to go on stike, firefighters allowed to go on strike, prison officers officers? Ummm kids got SATS next week, Yeah u go for it, GCSE's coming up shortly, go for it!
Posted by: Boltonbabe, Bolton on 2:38pm Sun 27 Apr 08
[quote][bold]sharon[/bold] wrote:
Police allowed to go on stike, firefighters allowed to go on strike, prison officers officers? Ummm kids got SATS next week, Yeah u go for it, GCSE's coming up shortly, go for it![/quote] SATS are before the proposed strike day and GCSE's are 2 year courses so 1 day is going to make no difference as the pupils can revise anywhere.
Teachers at Withins are simply standing up for themselves. If more people took action instead of simply moaning the world would be a better place.
sharon wrote:
Police allowed to go on stike, firefighters allowed to go on strike, prison officers officers? Ummm kids got SATS next week, Yeah u go for it, GCSE's coming up shortly, go for it!
SATS are before the proposed strike day and GCSE's are 2 year courses so 1 day is going to make no difference as the pupils can revise anywhere.
Teachers at Withins are simply standing up for themselves. If more people took action instead of simply moaning the world would be a better place.
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Print
Email this
Comment
