Planned strike postponed at Monmouthshire school

Three days of strike action planned at a Gwent school this week have been postponed. 

Members of the National Education Union, the NEU, had already closed Abergavenny’s King Henry VIII School for three days this month. 

Teachers had been due to close the school in a dispute over action to address its £2.3 million deficit for three consecutive days, from Tuesday, March 24 to Thursday, March 26 but parents have been told the school will now open all week. 

The school, for children aged three to 19, was closed to all but ‘sixth’ form students, in years 12 and 13, on March 5 while it was closed to most pupils on consecutive days on March 11 and 12 though its Special Resource Base for pupils with additional needs did open. 

In a letter to parents headteacher Jonathan Watson wrote: “We have received notification that the strikes scheduled for next week have been postponed to allow for further discussion. School will be open as normal.” 

The NEU had said earlier in March it was taking action “due to a lack of commitment on protecting existing terms and conditions” while the school had said the union wanted assurances there would be no compulsory redundancies. 

The postponement has been welcomed by the Conservative opposition group at Monmouthshire County Council which has been critical of the Labour Green Party cabinet’s management of school budgets. 

The county’s 34 schools, and its pupil referral unit, have a combined budget deficit of £7.5m though the council says it has increased funding for schools in consecutive years, with this year’s budget worth an extra £95 per pupil. 

An eight-year budget recovery period has been agreed for King Henry School. 

Conservative Councillor Richard John said: “While we welcome the postponing of this week’s strike action, this is still a serious situation, with the school facing a budget deficit of £2.3million and unpalatable decisions. 

 “We are so close to the summer exam season and any further strike action would be unfair on pupils who have already contended with disruption to their education during the pandemic and during the building of their new school. 

 “The school is in an impossible situation, forced to make cuts but 90 per cent of the school’s budget is staffing.” 

Cllr John said the council, which is the local education authority, should be “proactive” on leading talks between the school and the union.  

Cllr Laura Wright, the Labour cabinet member for education, had previously said she wanted to support the staff and school in resolving the situation.