Teachers are continuing to strike over a controversial new appraisal policy.
Members of teaching union the NASUWT have walked out of Dunston Primary School today in protest at the “intrusive and unnecessary” monitoring of teachers.
Dave Wilkinson, from the NASUWT’s Derbyshire branch, said another strike will take place tomorrow.
The union has called off planned action on Thursday to allow a school Christmas trip to go ahead – but it has replaced it with more strikes on December 19 and 20.
Earlier this year the Government introduced regulations enabling schools to carry out longer classroom observations.
Mr Wilkinson said the appraisal policy was “intrusive, unnecessary and detracts teachers from teaching and raising standards”.
He added: “NASUWT members are deeply committed professionals and regret the strike action.
“They will be lifted if the governors withdraw their monitoring policy and open discussions to seek to agree a policy with the NASUWT.”
He added: “The NASUWT wishes to resolve the problems in the school as quickly as possible and it is not in the interests of pupils, parents or teachers for matters to drag on.”
Paul Burgess, headteacher of Dunston Primary School, said he supported the Government’s new guidelines and added they were in the interests of pupils and teachers.
Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins said: “It’s very disappointing that parents have been inconvenienced and children’s education disrupted by this strike action which I think should have been avoided.
“What is needed is for everyone connected with Dunston School to work together not further division.”
The teachers held previous strikes at the end of last month.
Derbyshire County Council said it was working with the school and the NASUWT to try and prevent further action.
Comments