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Upfront

Anger at Downhills over sponsored academy plan

Twenty two NUT members took part in a one-day strike on 22 May over a DfE proposal to force Downhills Primary School in Haringey, London, to become a sponsored academy.

The day started with a lively picket where some members dressed as fat cats and carried pieces of carpet, protesting against a takeover by the Harris academy – Lord Harris is former chair of Carpetright and a Conservative Party donor. One placard read “Lord Harris gave the Tories £2 million and in return they gave him our school”.

NUT members joined parents, children and community supporters in Downhills Park for fun activities and a story and poetry session led by children’s author Michael Rosen.

NUT rep Phil Brett said: “We want to thank all the NUT branches that are supporting us. We didn’t expect to become the centre of attention, but this is no longer just about Downhills. It’s about the future of education.”

NUT General Secretary Christine Blower said: “Forcing academy status on schools has nothing whatsoever to do with standards but everything to do with the break-up of our education system.”

Pension age protest

The NUT is working with public sector unions PCS and Unite on the ‘68 is too late’ campaign to oppose the increase in the state pension age to 68, and the threat that the Government will move it even higher.

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers in PCS and Unite took part in a one-day strike on pensions on 10 May. NUT General Secretary Christine Blower is pictured speaking at the rally on the day of the strike, at Central Hall, Westminster.

Go to www.68istoolate.org.uk now to sign the petition and find out more about the campaign, which is also supported by Welsh teaching union UCAC, the NUS, the Education Institute of Scotland, and other public sector unions.

Keep up to date with education and the NUT by following us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/NUTonline for all the latest news and views. You can also stay informed by visiting www.teachers.org.uk

Got a story? Email our newsdesk at j.hulme@nut.org.uk