Schools told to recruit ‘volunteer army’ to break pensions strike Learning House

Schools told to recruit ‘volunteer army’ to break pensions strike

November 26, 2011 – 1:57 pm

The majority of schools and colleges in England and Wales face closure when teachers take part in a one-day strike on November 30.

Guidance issued by the Department for Education [DfE] suggests governors enlist a temporary workforce to keep schools open when hundreds of thousands of teachers walk out on Wednesday.

The document, given to state schools in England, says that parents who regularly help with activities such as reading and school trips could be asked to “work unsupervised” with children.

Schools should also approach community volunteers such as a “sports coach or scout group helper” and ask retired head teachers to cover.

In further advice, officials suggest schools could drop the National Curriculum for the day and get around legislation banning large infant classes by focusing on activities such as sport.

There is a mounting war of words over next week’s strike by civil servants, council officials, job centre staff, court officers, driving instructors, teachers and hospital workers. They are walking out over changes to public sector pensions that will mean they have to work longer and pay more into their retirement funds.

Learning House