Strike action starts at Harrogate special needs school in dispute over staffing

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) at Springwater Academy in Harrogate are on strike this week for four days in response to their continuing concerns over unsafe working conditions, staffing levels, and the use of support assistants to cover the teaching of classes.

The strike follows prolonged period during which staff have raised worries about the safety and sustainability of working practices within the school.

There were reports that the strike had been called off at the last minute but these proved to be misleading.

The roots of the dispute centres on staffing shortages and what union members said was a “routine expectation” that support assistants undertake duties that should be carried out by qualified teaching staff.

The NEU had previously been engaged in ongoing discussions with Ascent Academies Trust in an effort to resolve the dispute and says it remains keen to reach an agreement.

Gary McVeigh-Kaye, North Yorkshire branch secretary of the National Education Union, said: "No teacher wants to stand on a picket line.

"Every educator wants to stand in a classroom.

"Yet there comes a point when silence is no longer responsible and inaction is no longer acceptable.

"Support assistants are highly skilled and immensely valued colleagues.

"They are not substitutes for properly staffed teaching teams.

"Asking them to regularly fill gaps created by inadequate staffing is unfair to staff and unfair to pupils.

"Our members have shown patience, professionalism and a genuine desire to find solutions.

"Negotiations with Ascent Academies Trust have been ongoing and, in many respects, productive.

"Staff have chosen to act because they care deeply about the quality of education provided at Springwater Academy and because they believe that safe working conditions are the foundation upon which successful schools are built.”

Located on Starbeck High Street, Springwater Academy describes itself as a “vibrant" special needs (SEN) school based in Harrogate which caters for students aged 2-19 years old.

The school prides itself on being highly skilled in supporting autistic children and young people to flourish and achieve.

Last year saw the completion of an expansion at the school, in partnership with North Yorkshire Council.

The major project involved the redevelopment of two nearby buildings to create modern and inclusive spaces to better meet the needs of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The new facilities included new purpose-built classrooms, group rooms, a fully equipped sensory room and a secure outdoor learning area.

Gary McVeigh-Kaye, North Yorkshire branch secretary of the National Education Union, said: "Our members have not taken this decision lightly.

"The union remains committed to meaningful dialogue and we continue to hope that a negotiated settlement can be reached

"The door remains open, and we urge the Trust to work with us to resolve the outstanding issues."

The NEU staff’s strike action is taking place on the following dates: Monday, July 13; Tuesday, July 14; Wednesday, July 15 and Thursday, July 16.

This is a revised version of the original Harrogate Advertiser story published on Monday, July 13.

We wish to apologise to parents and staff for inaccuracies in the report over strike action at Springwater Academy.