Supporting The NUT strike next week on academisation
The teachers have made this difficult decision in response to the decision made by the Governing Body and Head to "in principle " to become part of a MAT.
The last resort of any teacher is to withdraw their labour, especially at a time like this. But it is the only effective action that they can take in light of the threatened academisation of the school.
Every successful attempt to prevent a school from becoming an academy has involved strike action, this is sadly the only real option teachers have at this point.
To reiterate, the disruption is primarily the result of the behaviour of the Head and Governing Body, who are clearly unconcerned by the disruption to those sitting exams. It they who created this situation and have continued to make the situation worse by then declaring a restructuring process leading to more confusion and discord.
If you feel so strongly about this issue, I would urge you write to the GB and Head asking them to accede to the NUT demands. This now is the only way for the disruption to be avoided.
You may also ask them why they failed to advertise for maternity leave cover until just before these sixth form teachers were due to leave, despite knowing for months in advance. This incompetency disadvantages those sixth formers in this revision period.
Yours Jason Holdway
The teachers have made this difficult decision in response to the decision made by the Governing Body and Head to "in principle " to become part of a MAT.
The last resort of any teacher is to withdraw their labour, especially at a time like this. But it is the only effective action that they can take in light of the threatened academisation of the school.
Every successful attempt to prevent a school from becoming an academy has involved strike action, this is sadly the only real option teachers have at this point.
To reiterate, the disruption is primarily the result of the behaviour of the Head and Governing Body, who are clearly unconcerned by the disruption to those sitting exams. It they who created this situation and have continued to make the situation worse by then declaring a restructuring process leading to more confusion and discord.
If you feel so strongly about this issue, I would urge you write to the GB and Head asking them to accede to the NUT demands. This now is the only way for the disruption to be avoided.
You may also ask them why they failed to advertise for maternity leave cover until just before these sixth form teachers were due to leave, despite knowing for months in advance. This incompetency disadvantages those sixth formers in this revision period.
Yours Jason Holdway
I am a parent of two at John Roan. I have also been a trade union member all my life. I know that it is impossible to persuade a group of staff (especially 95% of them) to go on strike unless there is a VERY GOOD REASON indeed.
We are all right to worry about our children's education and that is precisely what the teachers are defending and protecting. The move to strike has been the only time the management and the council have begun to take the voice of teachers, parents and students seriously.
I fully support the teachers taking their action, which make cause some short term hardship - but will result in long term gain for all of us.
And I ask again why have the Governors not give a guarantee they will not try and make the school into an academy?
yours
Colin Fancy
We are all right to worry about our children's education and that is precisely what the teachers are defending and protecting. The move to strike has been the only time the management and the council have begun to take the voice of teachers, parents and students seriously.
I fully support the teachers taking their action, which make cause some short term hardship - but will result in long term gain for all of us.
And I ask again why have the Governors not give a guarantee they will not try and make the school into an academy?
yours
Colin Fancy
9 March 2016
There is always a debate amongst parents about what we think about strike action by teachers and whether we should support such action.
Well I do - I have two sons coming up to their A levels, and I fully support the teachers. They have the best interests of our children and our school at heart. If the governors give the guarantees they are asking for, there will be no need for a strike. If the governors refuse, then I know who I will hold responsible for the strike.
Yours respectfully,
Pete Sinclair
There is always a debate amongst parents about what we think about strike action by teachers and whether we should support such action.
Well I do - I have two sons coming up to their A levels, and I fully support the teachers. They have the best interests of our children and our school at heart. If the governors give the guarantees they are asking for, there will be no need for a strike. If the governors refuse, then I know who I will hold responsible for the strike.
Yours respectfully,
Pete Sinclair
9 March 2016
This time last year, the former Head Des Malone having worked at the school for 8 years along with longstanding staff could confidently claim that The John Roan school had the ethos of a good comprehensive, which treated everyone in the school with respect and enthusiasm. The prevailing atmosphere was one of a happy, productive place to learn. The John Roan had the reputation of being a good comprehensive school, supported by a corps of dedicated teachers and support staff, working with a wide range of students to the best of their abilities.
However, since September 2015 when the new Head Nadine Powrie appeared, I have listened to how she and the Board of Governors have operated and have been both saddened and appalled.
In the space of two weeks of her arrival, Ms Powrie had alienated the majority of teachers, with 7 teachers resigning (and I do not think they were all off to holiday as has been quoted!).
Her proposals for over monitoring what happens in the classroom, how students work is assessed etc. and her refusal to listen to teachers' concerns, forced NUT members to strike in late November. The strike ended in a negotiated settlement where it seemed that teachers protected their working conditions.
This term, however we now hear that Ms Powrie has further undermined the school, with the proposal of 'academy status'; and her latest strategy of announcing a reduction of the posts by 25 and up to 15 redundancies is shocking to say the least. It is this treatment of the school community that has precipitated the decision for teachers to take strike action.
Why do I know so much about a school which is a hundred miles from where I live? Because my daughter is a teacher in the school and two of my grandchildren attend it.
Why am I appalled by what is happening? Because I am an advocate of the comprehensive system, which, if operating well, offers a broad curriculum to a range of abilities, so that all students, whatever their strengths and weaknesses can achieve their potential.
What concerns me? A number of things: despite the rhetoric of the DfE, there is enough evidence to say that 'branding' a school with the new title of 'academy' does not automatically improve standards within the school.
Rather, changing schools into academies is a highly political agenda, and whatever one's political persuasion, the wholesale handing over our education system to private companies is a very dangerous strategy.
And what concerns me the most is the intimidation by the senior management in the school to those members of staff who, for genuine reasons, have voiced concerns about what is happening. I know that those members of staff who have received all sorts of threats, wishing to maintain their professionalism, are reluctant to speak out. But I would like to ask you? What conclusions will you come to? And who will you support?
Support the dedicated staff who get up every day to educate your children and love and care for them 'in loco parentis' or those who wish to forward their own positions and ' kowtow ' to the latest government threats and undermine individuals in the process? What role models do you want your children to experience? And are you happy with the suppression of their voices, when they wish to express concerns about their own futures in the school?
I have just read the school's most recent OFSTED report (November 2013) where the school received a Good grade. And I quote: ' the school has a very effective curriculum designed to meet the needs of students of all abilities and support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural ability.'
How can any leadership justify the removal of those curriculum areas that contribute to those aims?
For example, RE is to be reduced to one off sessions; popular courses like GCSE Psychology are to go; Drama to be down-graded to an 'add on' to English lessons and Film Studies A Level, which my grandson has found so engaging that he wants to continue to Degree level, scrapped. So, a philistine approach is being taken to creative courses, which equip young people to handle their adulthood, with emotional intelligence, and contribute to the cultural and spiritual well- being of society as a whole.
Rather than protecting the school, the leadership seem hell-bent on preempting future Government measures. I, for one, do not support them. I think a vote of no confidence is needed. The school is not in a pair of 'safe hands'.
Helen Paton
Former Head of Basic Skills, Birmingham Adult Education Authority
This time last year, the former Head Des Malone having worked at the school for 8 years along with longstanding staff could confidently claim that The John Roan school had the ethos of a good comprehensive, which treated everyone in the school with respect and enthusiasm. The prevailing atmosphere was one of a happy, productive place to learn. The John Roan had the reputation of being a good comprehensive school, supported by a corps of dedicated teachers and support staff, working with a wide range of students to the best of their abilities.
However, since September 2015 when the new Head Nadine Powrie appeared, I have listened to how she and the Board of Governors have operated and have been both saddened and appalled.
In the space of two weeks of her arrival, Ms Powrie had alienated the majority of teachers, with 7 teachers resigning (and I do not think they were all off to holiday as has been quoted!).
Her proposals for over monitoring what happens in the classroom, how students work is assessed etc. and her refusal to listen to teachers' concerns, forced NUT members to strike in late November. The strike ended in a negotiated settlement where it seemed that teachers protected their working conditions.
This term, however we now hear that Ms Powrie has further undermined the school, with the proposal of 'academy status'; and her latest strategy of announcing a reduction of the posts by 25 and up to 15 redundancies is shocking to say the least. It is this treatment of the school community that has precipitated the decision for teachers to take strike action.
Why do I know so much about a school which is a hundred miles from where I live? Because my daughter is a teacher in the school and two of my grandchildren attend it.
Why am I appalled by what is happening? Because I am an advocate of the comprehensive system, which, if operating well, offers a broad curriculum to a range of abilities, so that all students, whatever their strengths and weaknesses can achieve their potential.
What concerns me? A number of things: despite the rhetoric of the DfE, there is enough evidence to say that 'branding' a school with the new title of 'academy' does not automatically improve standards within the school.
Rather, changing schools into academies is a highly political agenda, and whatever one's political persuasion, the wholesale handing over our education system to private companies is a very dangerous strategy.
And what concerns me the most is the intimidation by the senior management in the school to those members of staff who, for genuine reasons, have voiced concerns about what is happening. I know that those members of staff who have received all sorts of threats, wishing to maintain their professionalism, are reluctant to speak out. But I would like to ask you? What conclusions will you come to? And who will you support?
Support the dedicated staff who get up every day to educate your children and love and care for them 'in loco parentis' or those who wish to forward their own positions and ' kowtow ' to the latest government threats and undermine individuals in the process? What role models do you want your children to experience? And are you happy with the suppression of their voices, when they wish to express concerns about their own futures in the school?
I have just read the school's most recent OFSTED report (November 2013) where the school received a Good grade. And I quote: ' the school has a very effective curriculum designed to meet the needs of students of all abilities and support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural ability.'
How can any leadership justify the removal of those curriculum areas that contribute to those aims?
For example, RE is to be reduced to one off sessions; popular courses like GCSE Psychology are to go; Drama to be down-graded to an 'add on' to English lessons and Film Studies A Level, which my grandson has found so engaging that he wants to continue to Degree level, scrapped. So, a philistine approach is being taken to creative courses, which equip young people to handle their adulthood, with emotional intelligence, and contribute to the cultural and spiritual well- being of society as a whole.
Rather than protecting the school, the leadership seem hell-bent on preempting future Government measures. I, for one, do not support them. I think a vote of no confidence is needed. The school is not in a pair of 'safe hands'.
Helen Paton
Former Head of Basic Skills, Birmingham Adult Education Authority
Open letter to the School community from a concerned grandmother
Teachers and staff at The John Roan achieve a successful outcome after three days of strike action:
The John Roan NUT have agreed to suspend our strike action planned this week after an agreement that jobs and courses will be reinstated and assurances on workload have been guaranteed.
Read the full statement here.
Download the statement and latest bulletin here.
The John Roan NUT have agreed to suspend our strike action planned this week after an agreement that jobs and courses will be reinstated and assurances on workload have been guaranteed.
Read the full statement here.
Download the statement and latest bulletin here.
John Roan Resists along with The John Roan NUT called a public meeting open to all to discuss our response to cuts and the threat of academisation with the announcment of the White Paper.
John Roan teachers win dispute over redundancies - posts and courses are reinstated
10 May 2016
The John Roan NUT is pleased to announce that we voted unanimously yesterday to suspend strike action over proposed redundancies and restructuring at the John Roan School. NUT members along with NASUWT and GMB members have been in dispute with Nadine Powrie, Headteacher and the Governing Body over proposals to cut jobs, courses and increase staff workload. We can now report that our campaign action, up to and including strike action has successfully secured the following for our school:
• Reinstatement of courses including RE and Psychology GCSE and Drama and posts in Science, PE, RE/Psychology, Drama, and the reinstatement of our Site Supervisors.
• Reinstatement of daily tutor time as an important part of our pastoral provision.
• The avoidance of compulsory redundancies and the limit of Voluntary Redundancies to 4 posts from the original 17 posts identified for redundancy.
• Agreement that our maximum teaching contact remains 21 hours a week for all teachers and a ‘no detriment’ for post-holders in terms of management time and teaching loadings. This means that our Heads of Department (HODs) and Guidance and Achievement Leaders (GALs) as well as Assistant and Deputy Heads will have time to carry out their non-teaching duties.
• No redundancies for our admin staff, help with a skills audit and support with interviews for new job descriptions and posts within the school.
• The establishment of a working party, agreed by the Unions with the remit to look at curriculum and timetabling for the next academic year 2016/17. However, we will maintain our current school day to ensure continuity and stability for staff and students over the coming year.
It would be true to say that it has been a difficult year for the John Roan School community. We have found ourselves as teachers and staff members in opposition to a number of proposals from marking polices and learning walks which would have led to increased workload with no educational gain, to the threat to convert our school to an academy and the latest threats to jobs, courses and staff workload.
Our commitment to comprehensive education
We would like to reaffirm our commitment as teachers to providing a safe, happy environment so that all our students at The John Roan can achieve. We believe that we have taken action in the interests of the whole John Roan community and while there has been disruption this year, we hope that protecting jobs and courses will make the John Roan a school that students want to study in and staff want to work in.
We are proud of our comprehensive traditions and the community ethos at the heart of our school. We will continue to celebrate our fantastic school that has so much to offer all of our young people who study with us.
The John Roan NUT is pleased to announce that we voted unanimously yesterday to suspend strike action over proposed redundancies and restructuring at the John Roan School. NUT members along with NASUWT and GMB members have been in dispute with Nadine Powrie, Headteacher and the Governing Body over proposals to cut jobs, courses and increase staff workload. We can now report that our campaign action, up to and including strike action has successfully secured the following for our school:
• Reinstatement of courses including RE and Psychology GCSE and Drama and posts in Science, PE, RE/Psychology, Drama, and the reinstatement of our Site Supervisors.
• Reinstatement of daily tutor time as an important part of our pastoral provision.
• The avoidance of compulsory redundancies and the limit of Voluntary Redundancies to 4 posts from the original 17 posts identified for redundancy.
• Agreement that our maximum teaching contact remains 21 hours a week for all teachers and a ‘no detriment’ for post-holders in terms of management time and teaching loadings. This means that our Heads of Department (HODs) and Guidance and Achievement Leaders (GALs) as well as Assistant and Deputy Heads will have time to carry out their non-teaching duties.
• No redundancies for our admin staff, help with a skills audit and support with interviews for new job descriptions and posts within the school.
• The establishment of a working party, agreed by the Unions with the remit to look at curriculum and timetabling for the next academic year 2016/17. However, we will maintain our current school day to ensure continuity and stability for staff and students over the coming year.
It would be true to say that it has been a difficult year for the John Roan School community. We have found ourselves as teachers and staff members in opposition to a number of proposals from marking polices and learning walks which would have led to increased workload with no educational gain, to the threat to convert our school to an academy and the latest threats to jobs, courses and staff workload.
Our commitment to comprehensive education
We would like to reaffirm our commitment as teachers to providing a safe, happy environment so that all our students at The John Roan can achieve. We believe that we have taken action in the interests of the whole John Roan community and while there has been disruption this year, we hope that protecting jobs and courses will make the John Roan a school that students want to study in and staff want to work in.
We are proud of our comprehensive traditions and the community ethos at the heart of our school. We will continue to celebrate our fantastic school that has so much to offer all of our young people who study with us.
However, it must be said that this disruption could have been avoided. We maintain that the rationale for the restructuring has been based on a misrepresentation of the facts. There was no loss of income of £400,000 due to a fall in sixth form roll as there was no fall from the predicted numbers that the Local Authority used to calculate the funding allocated.
The staffing expenditure is in line with similar schools to ours, so suggesting that staffing was excessive is misleading. This is a serious issue - the school community and parents have been misled and the facts need to be stated clearly to resolve this confusion.
The School finances
We now have evidence that the current deficit that the school currently faces could have been avoided if Ms Powrie had not committed the school to various non-essential expenditure (CCTV, ICT, consultancy fees, school development programmes etc.). We still need an explanation as to why the off-site provision (for students who need support outside of school) has increased significantly along with the renovation of the roof at Maze Hill (from £32K to £250K).
A full audit of the accounts is essential to help the school in understanding where we are in terms of our financial stability over the coming years and to enable the working party to move forward on what curriculum we can offer in 2017.
Unfortunately, the unnecessary and acute stress that this restructuring process has created has led to a breakdown in trust and confidence in the current management and direction of the school. This could have been avoided and serious lessons must be learnt. We hope that confidence and trust can be rebuilt in the coming months and we will be working towards this goal.
We would like to register our disappointment with the way in which industrial relations have been conducted in our school since September 2015 after the appointment of Nadine Powrie. Policies have been imposed without proper or meaningful negotiation. Our three NUT representatives (including our Health & Safety rep) have been investigated under the school’s disciplinary policy for what we maintain to be based on spurious grounds. In order to avoid further industrial disputes of this nature, we have suggested that we draw up some protocols on how we can all move forward and improve our industrial relations in the future.
Moving Forward
Finally, we would like to thank parents and students at the John Roan, and NUT members far and wide, along with our community for the support and encouragement we have received to stand up for education and respect at work. We hope we can all move forward in the interests of our school community.
Over the coming year, schools are going to see cuts in funding and increased costs and we will be campaigning nationally to stop this. The education of our young people should be an absolute priority and the NUT will continue our campaign to make sure our schools can offer the very best for all our students.
The staffing expenditure is in line with similar schools to ours, so suggesting that staffing was excessive is misleading. This is a serious issue - the school community and parents have been misled and the facts need to be stated clearly to resolve this confusion.
The School finances
We now have evidence that the current deficit that the school currently faces could have been avoided if Ms Powrie had not committed the school to various non-essential expenditure (CCTV, ICT, consultancy fees, school development programmes etc.). We still need an explanation as to why the off-site provision (for students who need support outside of school) has increased significantly along with the renovation of the roof at Maze Hill (from £32K to £250K).
A full audit of the accounts is essential to help the school in understanding where we are in terms of our financial stability over the coming years and to enable the working party to move forward on what curriculum we can offer in 2017.
Unfortunately, the unnecessary and acute stress that this restructuring process has created has led to a breakdown in trust and confidence in the current management and direction of the school. This could have been avoided and serious lessons must be learnt. We hope that confidence and trust can be rebuilt in the coming months and we will be working towards this goal.
We would like to register our disappointment with the way in which industrial relations have been conducted in our school since September 2015 after the appointment of Nadine Powrie. Policies have been imposed without proper or meaningful negotiation. Our three NUT representatives (including our Health & Safety rep) have been investigated under the school’s disciplinary policy for what we maintain to be based on spurious grounds. In order to avoid further industrial disputes of this nature, we have suggested that we draw up some protocols on how we can all move forward and improve our industrial relations in the future.
Moving Forward
Finally, we would like to thank parents and students at the John Roan, and NUT members far and wide, along with our community for the support and encouragement we have received to stand up for education and respect at work. We hope we can all move forward in the interests of our school community.
Over the coming year, schools are going to see cuts in funding and increased costs and we will be campaigning nationally to stop this. The education of our young people should be an absolute priority and the NUT will continue our campaign to make sure our schools can offer the very best for all our students.
Teachers strike over job losses and course cuts
NUT members at The John Roan are on strike after seven weeks of negotiations had failed to get the Headteacher Nadine Powie to withdraw the redundancies and cuts to courses at our school. So far teachers have taken action on 21 April and 26 April with further action planned. The NUT have asked that the school management engage in meaningful negotations to resolve the dispute and restore jobs and courses.
Download our strike bulletin here
You can download a letter to parents, explaining how this situation has arisen.
Download our strike bulletin here
You can download a letter to parents, explaining how this situation has arisen.
After nearly two hours of negotiations with no substantial agreement on the core issues, the GMB who represents the majority of admin and support staff will be initiating a ballot to strike in opposition to the cutting of 20% of staff, the reduction of posts from 22 to 15 in admin, the complusory redundancies of two premises supervisors posts and the lack of meaningful consulation that has caused stress and confusion amongst staff. We welcome this decision by GMB members.
We are working closely with all the unions (NASUWT, ATL, Unison and Unite) and hope to collectively defend the provision at The John Roan.
We are working closely with all the unions (NASUWT, ATL, Unison and Unite) and hope to collectively defend the provision at The John Roan.
Admin staff in the GMB agree to join NUT and ballot for strike action
How did it get to this?
The NUT has met with the Headteacher on four occasions since 29 February, most recently on the 19 April, where we have tried to resolve issues relating to:
Our hope is that Nadine Powrie will return to negotiations and recognise that the the issue of the deficit has been misrepresented and that the school can move forward without these severe cuts.
Read Nadine Powrie's proposals for reorgansation and redundancies.
Download the NUT document to read our detailed submission to the Governing Body regarding the restructuring.
Download our document outlining why we oppose the redundancies and the rationale of the deficit budget and cuts.
Download the documents on the Recovery Deficit Plan, projected funding from the Local Authority and Ms Powries budget 2015/16 which indicates in grey the extra spending on non-staffing costs.
As we have made no significant headway to resolving these issues, we will be taking strike action on Thursday 21 April. We continue to call for meaningful negotiations to ensure that uncessary redundancies and cuts to courses are avoided. We are available to meet at any time that is convenient to the Headteacher and we urge her to take a more active part in consulting with unions. It is our wish to resolve these serious issues as soon as possible and to avoid further strike action.
- The origin of the deficit. The NUT disputes that it is due to a drop in income from lower than expected 6th form entries which were predicted at 242 not 350. The's school's budget balanced in July 2015 before Mr Malone's retirement based on sixthform numbers of 242: there has been no loss of funding because of sixth form numbers.
- Scrutiny of Ms Powrie's budget, of which final details on expenditure were only released to the public last week (despite requests since December 2015), reveals that the deficit is caused by spending committments that Ms Powrie has made since her appointment in September 2015 of over £680,000.
- Why is Ms Powrie spending extra money on non-staffing costs while suggesting that staff should be made redundant? We are suggesting that these are the wrong priorities (£70,000 on CCTV, £82,000 on ITC, £45,000 on recruitment costs etc).
- The cutting of 20% of teaching and admin posts that would seriously affect the delivery of quality education to our students.
- The logistics of the restructuring proposals for delivering a balanced curriculum that adheres to the legal requirements of bodies like SACRE (RE) and ensures we have a diverse curriculum that can meet student's needs (Sport, Drama, Fim studies, Psychology etc.)
- The punative cuts in pastoral care including the compulsory redundancy of 2 site supervisors and the abolition of tutor time.
- The cutting of courses and the proposal that some A Level classes have year 12 and 13 students taught together.
Our hope is that Nadine Powrie will return to negotiations and recognise that the the issue of the deficit has been misrepresented and that the school can move forward without these severe cuts.
Read Nadine Powrie's proposals for reorgansation and redundancies.
Download the NUT document to read our detailed submission to the Governing Body regarding the restructuring.
Download our document outlining why we oppose the redundancies and the rationale of the deficit budget and cuts.
Download the documents on the Recovery Deficit Plan, projected funding from the Local Authority and Ms Powries budget 2015/16 which indicates in grey the extra spending on non-staffing costs.
As we have made no significant headway to resolving these issues, we will be taking strike action on Thursday 21 April. We continue to call for meaningful negotiations to ensure that uncessary redundancies and cuts to courses are avoided. We are available to meet at any time that is convenient to the Headteacher and we urge her to take a more active part in consulting with unions. It is our wish to resolve these serious issues as soon as possible and to avoid further strike action.
On Monday 29 February, the staff at The John Roan were called to the Maze Hill hall to be informed that the school was to restructure due a deficit. The news was devasting as staff opened sealed envelopes to hear whether they had a job or not.
Colleagues left school in shock and some in tears - these devasting cuts have come out from nowhere. John Roan NUT met the next day and agreed to fight these cuts all the way.
We have asked on several occasions since December 2015 and summited two Freedom of Information Requests (FOI) to both the LA and the school n February 2016.
We finally recieved some information from our FOI on 21 March, 2016 but Nadine Powrie, the Head still refuses to release detailed accounts of the 'Recovery Budget' that was submitted to the LA for approval in December 2015.
What we can report is that the $438,000 deficit this year is down to a projected overspend by Nadine Powrie of approximately £680,000 in non-staffing costs.
We want answers.
1) Why does Ms Powrie refuse to release the public accounts of her 'recovery budget'?
2) What spending has Nadine Powrie committed the school to in terms of non-staffing costs (£680,000 overspend on premises, supply and services and curriclulum support) that has created this deficit since her arrival in September 2015?
3) Why has Ms Powrie suggested in a letter to parents that the deficit is due to a fall in expected student numbers in the Sixthform when the budget balanced and was signed off by the Governing Body in July 2015 based on 250 students arriving (not 350 as Ms Powrie claims).
4) Why is Ms Powrie claiming the issue is staffing when benching marking our school's staffing expenditure with 30 other similar schools places us in the middle ? (i.e. we are average in our staffing costs)
4) If the deficit is neither a product of loss in funding (the previous budget was based on projected sixth form numbers of 250 and 242 students enrolled - hardly a dramatic loss of funding) or staffing costs that are excessive compared to other schools, then why is Ms Powrie suggesting almost 20% cuts in staffing which would have a serious impact on teaching and learning?
If you are concerned about what is happening at The John Roan School and would like transparency and accountablilty then contact the Head, Nadine Powrie and Chair of Governors, Patrick Cooper directly with these questions.
npowrie@thejohnroan.greenwich.sch.uk
pcooper@thejohnroan.greenwichsch.uk
There have been some preliminary negotiations with the NUT, GMB and NASUWT where the case for withdrawing all the redundancies and cuts was put to Ms Powrie.
We have asked that Ms Powrie provide the full accounts so that the budget can be fully scrutinised.
These are the cuts threatened by the 'restructuring' to The John Roan:
Following courses to be cut:
Change to school day and increase in teacher Workload
The students deserve better - please join our fight to save jobs and courses at The John Roan
Colleagues left school in shock and some in tears - these devasting cuts have come out from nowhere. John Roan NUT met the next day and agreed to fight these cuts all the way.
We have asked on several occasions since December 2015 and summited two Freedom of Information Requests (FOI) to both the LA and the school n February 2016.
We finally recieved some information from our FOI on 21 March, 2016 but Nadine Powrie, the Head still refuses to release detailed accounts of the 'Recovery Budget' that was submitted to the LA for approval in December 2015.
What we can report is that the $438,000 deficit this year is down to a projected overspend by Nadine Powrie of approximately £680,000 in non-staffing costs.
We want answers.
1) Why does Ms Powrie refuse to release the public accounts of her 'recovery budget'?
2) What spending has Nadine Powrie committed the school to in terms of non-staffing costs (£680,000 overspend on premises, supply and services and curriclulum support) that has created this deficit since her arrival in September 2015?
3) Why has Ms Powrie suggested in a letter to parents that the deficit is due to a fall in expected student numbers in the Sixthform when the budget balanced and was signed off by the Governing Body in July 2015 based on 250 students arriving (not 350 as Ms Powrie claims).
4) Why is Ms Powrie claiming the issue is staffing when benching marking our school's staffing expenditure with 30 other similar schools places us in the middle ? (i.e. we are average in our staffing costs)
4) If the deficit is neither a product of loss in funding (the previous budget was based on projected sixth form numbers of 250 and 242 students enrolled - hardly a dramatic loss of funding) or staffing costs that are excessive compared to other schools, then why is Ms Powrie suggesting almost 20% cuts in staffing which would have a serious impact on teaching and learning?
If you are concerned about what is happening at The John Roan School and would like transparency and accountablilty then contact the Head, Nadine Powrie and Chair of Governors, Patrick Cooper directly with these questions.
npowrie@thejohnroan.greenwich.sch.uk
pcooper@thejohnroan.greenwichsch.uk
There have been some preliminary negotiations with the NUT, GMB and NASUWT where the case for withdrawing all the redundancies and cuts was put to Ms Powrie.
We have asked that Ms Powrie provide the full accounts so that the budget can be fully scrutinised.
These are the cuts threatened by the 'restructuring' to The John Roan:
- 14 teaching posts deleted including 1.2 Psychology and 2 Sociology teachers, 2 MFL teachers, 2 DT teachers, 2 Maths teachers, 1.5 English teachers, 2 Assistant Headteachers leading to 11 redundances.
- 1 Science teacher, 1 PE teacher (initial discussions meant Ms Powrie reinstated 2 science teachers and 1 PE teacher, when she realised she couldn't deliver the curriculum without them).
- Admin posts reduced from 22 to 15 - with new job descriptions for those who seek to reapply for their jobs
- Deletion of 2 Site Supervisor posts.
Following courses to be cut:
- RE across KS3 (Y7&8) and KS4 (Y9-11) to be deleted and replaced with 9 'drop down' days
- GCSE Psychology
- GCSE Sociology
- Government and Politics A Level
- Film Studies A Level
- BTEC Sport
- GCSE Media, DT and Food tech under threat
- Drama Collapsed into English
Change to school day and increase in teacher Workload
- Small groups at A Level to be taught vertically (Y12 and Y13 taught at the same time in the same class)
- Options choices reduced to increase class sizes
- Introduction of 6 (50 min) period day
- Increase of teaching load for all teachers to 22.5 hours a week
- Removal of daily tutor time and replacement with 1 period a week
The students deserve better - please join our fight to save jobs and courses at The John Roan
The Story so far in the fight against academisation.....
- Parents were informed on Wednesday 3 February of The John Roan Governing Body's plans to consider turning The John Roan into an academy as part of a Multi Academy Trust (MAT). Parents, teachers, staff and students are opposed to such plans. They submitted an open letter to the Governing Body which you can read here
Please click on the links to the left/ above to read about our Anti Academy Campaign. Read also our collection of articles on Education here.
Please send us your views on johnroannut@gmail.com
If you are a parent and would like to contact the parent action group please email parentsforjohnroan@gmail.com.
If you wish to take part in a parent led discussion of academisation of Primary schools in Greenwich please take a look at this website.
The Mercury newspaper have covered our campaign here.
A summary of information and questions discussed at the recent Staff Information Meeting on Tuesday 23 February with Governors can be found in the News section here.
Here are some of the resources that John Roan NUT have produced for parents and the community. Here is a press release of our strike action on Tuesday 10 November.
