Strike Days at Grange: Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th March 2023
13th March 2023
Dear Parents/Carers of Grange,
Re: Strike Days at Grange: Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th March 2023
You may be aware from media coverage that some teaching unions have declared strike action, which will take place on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March 2023.
The strike is happening because of a national dispute between the unions and the government over teachers’ pay and not because of any issues at our school. We are extremely grateful for the valuable work that teachers do and recognise their right to strike.
I’m sorry to inform you that at this point, with the information we have, my decision is that:
| CLASSES OPEN ON
WEDNESDAY 15TH MARCH 2023 |
CLASSES OPEN ON
THURSDAY 16TH MARCH 2023 |
| Reception Rashford: 8:30am – 12:30pm (closed PM) | Nursery Shakespeare: 8:30am – 11:30am |
| Reception Equiano: 11:30am – 3:15pm (closed AM) | Reception Rashford: all day |
| YR 1 Bob Marley: all day | YR 1 Bob Marley: all day |
| YR 1 Sojourner Truth: all day | YR 1 Sojourner Truth: all day |
| YR 3 Rumi: all day | YR 3 Rumi: all day |
| YR 4 Matisse: all day | YR 4 Matisse: 12:15pm – 3:15pm (closed AM) |
| YR 6 Nightingale: all day | YR 4 Klee: 8:30am – 1:15pm (closed PM) |
| YR 6 Seacole: all day | YR 5 Ennis: 12:15pm – 3:15pm (closed AM) |
| YR 5 Holmes: 12:15pm – 3:15pm (closed AM) | |
| YR 5 Beckham: 12:15pm – 3:15pm (closed AM) | |
| YR 6 Nightingale: all day |
School will be shut for all the rest of the children and we are asking you not to send your child into school on this day unless your child is in one of these classes.
We have not taken this decision lightly. Our priority is always to provide a safe and secure environment for our pupils, and I feel that we would be unable to provide this without the staff who are striking. According to the rights of striking staff, they are not required to inform me beforehand that they are striking and I will therefore only know on the day which other staff will be available besides for the staff of the four named classes who have informed me that they will be present to teach the children.
Provision on Wednesday 15th March 2023 in Rashford, Equiano, Bob Marley, Sojourner Truth, Rumi, Matisse, Nightingale and Seacole classes will be face to face, in–person, in school.
Provision on Thursday 16th March 2023 in Shakespeare, Rashford, Bob Marley, Sojourner Truth, Rumi, Matisse, Klee, Ennis, Holmes, Beckham and Nightingale classes will be face to face, in–person, in school.
If I become aware on the day that there are any other class teachers not striking then there will be remote learning on the day for those classes.
I will only be able to inform you on the day if your child’s class will have live lessons and work available on Google classrooms. Non–striking staff will be required to come into school and I will deploy them effectively.
I’m sorry that you will have to make alternative arrangements for your child at short notice, and that they will experience disruption to their education. I understand that this situation may be frustrating, and ask that all members of our school community to respect the difficult choices made by each staff member.
Staff members striking lose their income whilst they are on strike and I know that our Grange staff who are striking are so concerned for the missing learning but have made this difficult choice out of respect for the profession and to pursue fair remuneration for teachers. We are working closely with our staff union representatives to keep up to date with the situation, and I will inform you as soon as possible if arrangements change further.
Breakfast Club and Afterschool clubs will be open as normal for their sessions.
If you have any questions, please contact me via the school office on 020 8422 5070 or by email to office@grange.harrow.sch.uk putting my name in the email subject line.
Kind regards,
Mr D Kerbel
Headteacher