Strike Action Update

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30th January 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

RE: Industrial strike action and full closure of the academy for ALL Years.

I hope this letter finds you well.  Thank you for supporting the return to school post-Christmas and I hope that this letter finds you well.

I am writing to you with a further update around the ballots on industrial action and what this means for our academy. As mentioned previously, The National Education Union (NEU), National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) held ballots of their members on industrial action. Following these votes, members of the NEU across England have decided to strike.

The NAHT and the NASUWT strikes will not be proceeding as not enough members voted. However, there is a chance that these ballots will be held again, which we will update you on if there is any change.

Strikes will take place across Wednesday 1st February, Wednesday 15th March, Thursday 16th March, and Wednesday 1st March.  This latter date is subject to regional variation and so I have stated here the date that affects our region to avoid any confusion.  These will impact on our academy for all year groups.

As a result of the strikes, we have now taken the decision to close the academy. This is a change to our previous plans but the health, safety and wellbeing of our students is our top priority, and we will not have enough members of staff to safely or responsibly open the academy. All students in Years 7-13 must therefore remain at home during the days specified above, except for groups of vulnerable students who will be contacted shortly.  These students should arrive as normal in school uniform and make their way from reception to the Green Room.

The Wednesday am exam for Year 11 students will proceed as normal:  students who are sitting this exam should wear their school uniform and enter the academy via reception from where they will be directed to the Fitness Suite exam venue. These Year 11 students will leave straight after their exam.   

We will open at lunch time for students currently in receipt of free school meals.  In order for us to be able to arrange the catering arrangements, if your child is in receipt of a free school meal, please complete the online form you will receive via ParentPay.  Free School Meal students who wish to come to the academy for a hot lunch should arrive at 12:30 via the PE gate; they will be dismissed straight after their lunch – 1:15pm at the latest.

Thematic literacy and numeracy remote learning will be posted on the academy website under the ‘News’ tab.

We appreciate the inconvenience this will cause for some families, and we thank you for your continued support and understanding during this time.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me or a member of our senior leadership team, and we would be more than happy to speak with you.

Yours faithfully,

Adrian Price

Principal

George Salter Academy