Low paid school staff risk being made redundant as head teachers plan for a radical restructure

By Toby Porter

Low paid school staff could be made redundant as head teachers plan for a radical restructure.

Hundreds of teaching assistants, learning support workers and midday meal supervisors in Lambeth primary schools may be axed in a borough wide shake up devised by headteachers.

At least 20 schools are currently part of the plans according to the GMB Union with more expected to follow.

Only six of the 20 schools believed to be involved have announced the plans to staff.

These include Loughborough Primary, Henry Cavendish Primary (on their Streatham and Balham sites), Stockwell Primary, Jessop Primary, Kings Avenue School and St John’s Angell Town Church of England Primary.

While no paperwork has been drawn up, GMB says it’s likely that the plans will only affect the lower ends of the pay scale meaning headteachers themselves will be unaffected.

The union has asked schools to pause consultations but their requests have been refused.

School support staff have been vital in keeping schools running throughout the pandemic and will play a crucial role in primary schools as students return and need help adapting to new rules.

The timing of the decision has caused further concern as the government reportedly mulls the idea of extending the school day and introducing summer schools to help students catch up.

Staff are especially frustrated with announcements coming in the weeks and days before pupils were due to head back to the classroom en masse.

Sheila Berry, GMB Regional Organiser said: “Why would headteachers want to lose experienced, well trained, and dedicated staff at the very time when children are returning to the classrooms and needing extra help to catch up on the teaching and learning they have lost?

“The affected members are those who have been in school every day of this pandemic, not those who can work from home. Those who are risking their health and safety and that of their families to ensure these children get a decent education.

“Their reward for this hard work under extreme pressure and in fear for their health, is to tell them they are facing redundancy.

“This is a poor reward for their efforts and GMB calls for all re-structures across the borough to be halted.”

The union have held talks with Lambeth Council requesting that they put pressure on schools to halt the plans.

A Lambeth Council Spokesperson said: “In Lambeth, as across London, pupil numbers are falling, and as schools are funded per pupil this means they have less money, so have to make savings.

“The council is holding weekly meetings with the education unions and headteachers at a time when both maintained and academy schools are reviewing their staffing structures for September 2021 in line with their budgets.

“We are working hard to try and ensure that staff restructures avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible, and staff are given opportunities to be redeployed where there is the opportunity.

“The council has also committed to campaign alongside the GMB to lobby the government to provide more funding for our schools.”

Staff at one school are in “uproar” over plans to make five of them redundant.

An employee at Kings Avenue School on Kings Avenue, Clapham who wishes to remain anonymous, claims a planned restructure is the latest in a string of attempts to get rid of long-serving workers to balance its budget deficit.

The staff member said 23 staff were made redundant in 2019, including four teachers and 19 support staff; and one member of the support team was cut last year.

Documents about the upcoming restructure show another five members of support staff could be made redundant.

These staff members are among the lowest paid at the school, with midday meal supervisors earning just £7k a year.

They said: “Support staff have been the backbone of the school during Covid. They were in school the most and worked hard to give key workers and vulnerable children the best possible education.

“Before Covid support staff regularly had to, and still do, cover classes when teachers are off, which means special educational needs children get less one to one or small group support.

“Support staff feel betrayed, upset, played. They have been at the school the longest, They know the children and families.

“Teachers are worried that they are next, and anxious about not having support staff to help with children next year.”

The school says the cuts are because of its falling roll and a need to repay debts. But staff claim there has been what they call “flippant” spending.

One claimed: “Money has been spent carelessly on rabbits, chickens, new iPads – when current ones work fine and are hardly used – a new staffroom – the old one was fine.

“Thousands of pounds have been spent on refurbishing a library when it was already painted a year or so before. Classrooms that aren’t used are now furnished.

“Decisions like this should be made by the new head who starts in the summer.”

A spokesman for the school said: ““We value and respect the views and opinions of all our staff team. If individuals have concerns they should raise them through the appropriate routes.”