Industry News
Union threatens to strike over academy schools
Posted on 26th March 2008
Teaching unions are threatening to strike in protest over academies, which are increasingly being sponsored by independent schools.
The government wants to eventually open 400 privately sponsored academies, but some teachers believe that the schools fail to abide by the national curriculum and national pay agreements.
So far more than 80 academies have opened and politicians are trying to encourage private schools to 'partner' their local academy - sharing funds, resources or even teachers - if they want to keep their charity status.
The National Association of School Masters Union of Women Teachers unanimously passed a motion yesterday to ballot members over industrial action at any school earmarked to be converted into an academy.
Sue Pyman, a teacher in north Lincolnshire, told the Guardian that many local authorities see academies "as a way to get rid of underperforming schools from their control".
Top private school Winchester College is one of the independent institutions that is helping an academy - it recently announced that it will share teaching materials and staff training with a new local academy school.