Teachers' union calls off strike action at Sunderland's Farringdon Community Academy at final hour

Farringdon Community Academy was due to close to Years 9 and 10 due to strike action.

Farringdon Community Academy sent letters home to say that Year 9 and Year 10 would be closed to tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10, and Thursday, March 12, due to action by the NASUWT over “workload issues.”

The Echo understands three other days of action, on Tuesday, March 25, to the Thursday are still scheduled to go ahead.

However, just hours before the end of Monday’s school day, the union confirmed it would no longer be staging a walkout and planned to return to negotiations with school bosses.

In a statement, its regional organiser said: “NASUWT has called off the strike action planned for this week to allow us to work with the school to seek resolution to the working practises in the school that has created significant workload issues for our members.”

Farringdon Academy has been contacted by the Echo.

In a letter sent to parents before the strike was cancelled, headteacher Neal Holder said it was with “great regret” he had to inform them of the strike plans and attempts had been made to avoid the action.

He added: “As you are aware, we are a school which requires improvement and since my arrival in January 2018, I have made changes to improve the academy’s overall performance.

“We have many excellent, committed, professional staff who work tirelessly at Farringdon Community Academy in the interests of your children.

“Unfortunately, we are in dispute with some staff around our commitment to ensuring high-quality teaching and learning through improved performance management and monitoring practices; high expectations in relation to planning, marking and feedback and a commitment to ensuring all staff are supported in becoming outstanding practitioners.”

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He added while not all members of the union voted to strike, the school was uncertain about how many members would take strike action, leaving it with “no choice but to reduce school operations.”

Mr Holder went on to say that his “primary concern is for the safety and well-being of all students” and had no alternative but to put the plans in place.