Teachers walk out at Worthing High School (From The Argus)

Teachers walk out at Worthing High School

10:46am Wednesday 11th July 2012 in News By Anna Roberts, Crime reporter

Teachers and parents are manning a picket line in support of a walkout at Worthing High School today.

Members of the NASUWT are taking strike action at Worthing High School over plans to convert the school into an academy, despite widespread opposition from parents and teachers.

Teaching staff at the school have expressed concern that they could face deterioration in their pay and working conditions if the plans go ahead, with a consequent adverse impact on standards of education.

Chris Keates, the general secretary of the NASUWT, said: “Parents, teachers and the local community are united in their opposition to the conversion to academy status at this school.

“Any change to the status of a school should be about raising standards.

“There is no evidence that converting schools to academies raises standards “The quality of educational provision is inextricably linked to teachers’ pay and working conditions.

“Academy status puts these under threat.

“If the school persists in driving through this conversion in the face of widespread opposition this does not bode well for the future.”

Eric Skyte, the NASUWT national executive member for West Sussex, said: “Any move to take strike action is never taken lightly but our members are taking this step because they don’t feel they have a choice.”