Defend St Paul’s Way Community School!
Over the past year there has been a concerted campaign by the Local Education Authority in Tower Hamlets, via an Interim Executive Board (with no parent/teacher/community representation) to rid our school of many of its long?standing teachers and crush our school Union Group.
In March, the IEB decided to uphold its decision to dismiss our NUT Rep, Adrian Swain (for wearing trainers); and two weeks later the Headteacher released a devastating re?structuring proposal that intends
to:
• make at least 20 members of staff REDUNDANT
• make most staff RE?APPLY for their jobs
• increase the responsibilities of most TLR postholders whilst CUTTING THEIR PAY at the same time
The proposal also has serious implications for the educational provision that the school will offer to the students we teach. It will lead to:
• a NARROWING of the curriculum, with the marginalisation of subjects such as History and Geography and the introduction of diplomas in subjects such as ‘Hospitality’ and ‘Hair and Beauty’
• a huge REDUCTION in EAL, SEN and Deaf Support Base provision
• an INCREASE in CLASS SIZES for all years and in all subjects
Our student community is mainly working?class and Bangladeshi. We have one of the highest percentages of free school meals in the country and an exceptionally high number of bilingual students with additional educational needs.
One of the alleged reasons for these cuts is that the school’s previous management over?spent several hundreds of thousands of pounds.
TEACHERS and CHILDREN should not HAVE TO PAY for this!
We have called upon the Union to ballot us for strike action. We also need your support.
What you can do:
• Write to the Headteacher making clear your opposition to the IEB’s plans.
(Grahame Price, St Paul’s Way Community School, Shelmerdine Close, Poplar, London, E3 4AN)
• Write letters of support to our Union Group
(NUT Rep, at the school’s address )
• Join our PROTEST at Tower Hamlets Council (Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, LondonE14) on Thursday 23rd April at 4.30pm