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Upfront

Weston Favell fights academy plans

Staff, students, parents and the local community are vigorously opposing a controversial proposal to turn Weston Favell, a popular community school in Northampton, into a United Learning Trust academy. Northamptonshire County Council approved the plans in December 2009, meaning the new academy could open as soon as 1 April.

Of the 397 responses to a consultation carried out by the council, only ten supported the proposal, while 383 opposed it. On 3 December, NUT and NASUWT members at Weston Gavell took a day’s strike action in opposition to the academy plans.

The school’s NUT rep, Gordon White, told The Teacher: “In spite of overwhelming opposition from councillors, parents and unions and a one-day strike, the cabinet voted to issue statutory notices of closure on 10 December.” A special full council meeting was called by opposition councillors for 5 January.

The fight was intensified by the arrival of Ofsted in the school on 7 December, just after the strike action. NUT members plan to meet early in January to discuss the possibility of further strike days.

PICTURE CAPTION: Picketing outside the school on the day of the strike.


Norlington says no to trust school status

NUT members at Norlington school for boys in Waltham Forest took three days of strike action in November over plans to become a trust school.

The action was well supported and members lobbied the governing body and the Institute of Education – the lead partner in the proposed trust, along with a local primary school and George Mitchell secondary school.

Governors at Norlington have voted for the trust, but partner school George Mitchell voted against, leaving the proposal on shaky ground.


Ten years of telephone support

Len Parkyn, an NUT member from Brighton and Hove, was among guests at a House of Commons reception in November to celebrate ten years of the Teacher Support Network’s (TSN’s) support line.

The event was hosted by Barry Sheerman MP, chair of the select committee on education, who spoke about false allegations destroying teachers’ careers. Vernon Coaker, Schools Minister and NUT member, talked about false allegations, bullying and the pressure and stress teachers experience.

One teacher, Zoë, told of bullying by her headteacher and how TSN helped her challenge this behaviour. Len, a senior special needs teacher who had false allegations made against him and suffered life-threatening health problems, said: “I cannot praise the Teacher Support Line enough. It helped me keep my sanity and self-respect and inspired me to be positive and confident.”

Call the TSN support line on:
08000 562 561 (England)
08000 855 088 (Wales)
or visit www.teachersupport.info.

PICTURE CAPTION: Len Parkyn, left, talks to Vernon Coaker at the House of Commons reception.


Bien fait, Sally!

Congratulations to NUT member Sally Mitchell from St Luke’s primary school in Bournemouth, winner of the 2009 Primary Language Teacher Award organised by Scholastic and La Jolie Ronde.

Sally spent 16 years with Brittany Ferries, where she developed a love of languages through working with French crews, Spanish customers and training French work placement students. It was the introduction of modern foreign languages (MFL) into the primary curriculum that led her into teaching.

Sally qualified in 2005, aged 40, after completing a PGCE through Bournemouth and East Dorset school-centred initial teacher training. Now, in her fifth year of teaching, she is bringing MFL into the timetable across the school.

Languages offered at St Luke’s include French, Japanese, German and Spanish. Sally also runs a lunchtime French club, supports MFL teaching in nearby schools, and has built up colleagues’ confidence in teaching foreign languages.

Her prize includes an all-expenses-paid trip to France for up to 30 children and five teachers.

PICTURE: Sally Mitchell