St Matthew’s primary school anti-academy strike reaches 13th day

St Matthews CofE Primary School. Pic: Google

Teaching union members protesting a decision to turn St Matthew’s CofE Primary School into an academy have today reached their 13th day of strike action.

42 members of the National Education Union (NEU) represent the majority of staff at the New Hall Lane school, with the strike attempting to save the school from privatisation.

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“We have been shocked by how out of touch the governing body has been. And how it went into hiding following the decision to turn the school into an academy.

“They refused to engage in talks with NEU to find solutions to resolve the dispute and end the strike.”

Following a morning picket at the school, strikers will hold a protest rally outside Blackburn Cathedral from 10am.

They said they aim to highlight the failures of the Bishop of Blackburn and the Blackburn Diocese to resolve the dispute and draw attention to the accountable church-appointed governors’ lack of action to support staff and the community.

Preston NEU Secretary Ian Watkinson said: “The mainly church-appointed governing body of St Matt’s have shown complete disregard for the wishes and feelings of staff, parents and the wider community.

“Many of these foundation governors do not live locally to the school and have shown no understanding of the damage they have needlessly inflicted on our members and the school.

“It has highlighted to us that the church itself needs to get its house in order so that their governors serve their schools and communities and not business interests.”

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