Staff and parents at Small Heath School are fighting academy conversion.

Staff and parents at Small Heath School are fighting academy conversion. The following report is from one of the organisers;

Following our strike a month ago against the threat of academisation at the school, Small Heath School NUT, NASUWT and ATL members took another day’s strike action on Thursday 2nd July.  It was another vibrant, confident and solid strike and the 3 entrances to the school were picketed by large numbers of teachers, parents and students (a group of parents even brought wonderful food to the picket line!).  Messages of support were received from far and wide.  Again, the strike made the news.

The strike got a wonderful boost the evening before with a parents’ meeting that was also attended by many staff.  Every parent that spoke supported the striking teachers and agreed that the strike was necessary .  Richard Hatcher from Birmingham CASE and Salma Yaqoob addressed the parents and both inspired a number of parents to come forward to begin to organize a community campaign to fight alongside staff.

The teaching unions remain united in opposing any planned academisation of the school and there will be a further union/parents’ meeting at The Rex Centre, Small Heath at 5-7pm on Tuesday, 14th July.  Parents want this to be a springboard for their actions over the summer in building a campaign that will be ready for the battles that lay ahead next term!

acknowledgements to https://birminghamcase.wordpress.com/2015/07/02/second-strike-at-small-heath-school-prompts-solidarity-from-parents-on-the-picket-line/ and Martin Francis