Strike action over plans to extend school day

Staff at a school in North Lincolnshire are set to take part in strike action in protest at an academy trust's plans to extend the day for students and teachers by half an hour.

The NASUWT teaching union said teachers at a number of schools run by the Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT), including Foxhills in Scunthorpe, were taking part in six days of action, with the first on Tuesday.

The union said the proposed changes would affect teachers' working hours, workload and the welfare of staff and pupils.

The academy trust said it was "exceptionally disappointed" that "our union partners" had decided to take industrial action.

According to the union, OGAT schools currently finish at 14:30 BST, with the trust proposing a later finish to comply with the Department for Education's advised 32.5-hour week.

However, Matt Wrack, the union's acting general secretary, said the proposals should instead focus on lengthening a 30-minute lunch break to provide adequate time for pupils to queue for and eat their lunch, use the toilets and have a break before resuming lessons.

"The current lunch break is so short that some pupils are not eating or using the toilets, which has a detrimental impact on their health, welfare and ability to focus on learning," Mr Wrack said.

Kath Oliver, the union's national executive member for Foxhills, added: "Staff at Foxhills frequently report that they are unable to take a break at all during the school day."

The union is calling for OGAT to agree to resume negotiations.

The academy trust said it remained open to "constructive dialogue".

"The small change we have proposed will mean students can learn more and achieve even stronger outcomes, and will still mean the school day is within the time as set out in the government's school teachers' pay and conditions document," a spokesperson said.

"We also want to make sure our students are prioritised and provided with the best possible education."

Strike action is planned for 3, 10, 11, 17, 18 and 19 June at the school in Scunthorpe.

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