NUT industrial action at Alfreton Grange Arts College
Why is the strike action taking place?
- A significant increase in the number of teaching periods
- A shorter break and lunch time
- A longer school day
How will these changes affect teachers?
- Increased workload
- Shorter lessons will give less time to teach
- Shorter lessons will give less time to deliver practical sessions including Art, P.E., Food technology and Science.
- Worse work/life balance
- More stress
How will these changes affect students?
- No supervision by classroom teachers at the beginning or the end of the school day
- Shorter practical lessons limiting the range of activities on offer. What can be prepared and made during a 45 minute cookery session?
- Shorter lessons reducing the learning time for academic subjects
- Quantity rather than quality leading to poorer educational outcomes.
- More lessons necessitating more movement around school - further loss of learning time.
- More subjects taught by non-subject specialists
Why do we need your support?
- The educational outcomes for pupils at Alfreton Grange Arts College were significantly improved last year. The improvement was achieved through the hard work of students and staff with the support of Derbyshire Local Authority.
- The old structure worked, it benefited the pupils and the community of Alfreton Grange Arts College
- The teachers care about the children they teach and the community in which they work. The workforece want the employer to engage constructively with staff concerns to reach a resolution to the dispute.
Deborah Turner, County Division Secretary of the NUT said: “No teacher takes strike action lightly but the NUT is convinced that the changes implemented at Alfreton Grange Arts College has significant workload issues for staff and perhaps even more significantly, will impact negatively on the education offered to pupils at the school.
“Staff and pupils at Alfreton Grange Arts College now have nine teaching and learning periods for the majority of days during the week. As a teacher myself, I know the workload that this engenders and also the impracticality of teaching a lesson such as Art, Design Technology, Food Technology, P.E. or Science during a forty-five minute time-frame.
“It is clear, from in-depth and on-going, discussions with NUT members that all teachers at Alfreton Grange are deeply committed to the students that they teach and the community that they serve. All are working hard to enhance the educational provision that is offered. It should be deeply concerning to parents, and other stakeholders, that these committed professionals have felt forced into taking this unprecedented step.
“As a Derbyshire parent, a Derbyshire teacher, and as NUT County Secretary for Derbyshire I demand that the teaching and learning concerns are fully addressed. The staff and students at Alfreton Grange Arts College deserve it.”
And Nick Raine, NUT regional officer, said: “Alfreton Grange Arts College failed to consult meaningfully with stakeholders before imposing these alterations to the school day. The school continues to disregard concerns raised by our members in respect of workload and curriculum delivery.
“NUT action is always undertaken to protect the education of pupils. We are sure that parents at Alfreton Grange will understand this and support those fighting for a school day that is good for teachers, good for pupils and good for the future of Alfreton Grange Arts College.”
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