Dear Parent / Carers  

You will have heard on the news that several teachers unions have balloted for industrial action including strike action on Wednesday 30th November 2011.  

There is a possibility of further strikes next term as other teacher and school staff unions take action regarding changes to pensions.  

Headteachers are required to carry out a risk assessment based on the number and range of teachers intending to strike. Neither the Governing Body nor the Headteacher is legally allowed to close the school ‘in sympathy’ with the strike and we will not do so. However, our main concern is the safety of our students.  

At Brentford School for Girls we have a significant percentage of eligible teachers that  have already confirmed their intention to strike. I have consulted with our Chair of Governors and can now confirm that Brentford School for Girls will be closed to most pupils on Wednesday 30th November 2011 if the strike goes ahead as planned.  However, the library will be open to Year 11 students who will be revising for their mock exams.  Some sixth form teaching will also be taking place and students will be informed by their teachers if they will be required to attend. The closure is in response to industrial action and due to the inability to maintain an effective curriculum and adequate supervision.

If the strike were to be to be called off by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Association of Schoolmasters/ Union of Women Teachers (NASWT) then the school will open as normal.

The school accepts that NUT & NASWT members at Brentford have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action on the issue of pensions. We note, therefore, the strength of feeling of our employees.

The school notes that unions nationally and their members are following an appropriate democratic process and have a legal right to strike, and the school will respect this fully for all its staff.

I and the Chair of Governors have trust in our staff, therefore we have confidence that our children will not be allowed to suffer as a result of industrial action and we recognise the enormous amount that all our staff already do 'over and above' their terms and conditions.

The school acknowledges that negotiations with the Government on this matter continue and we hope that agreement can be achieved which safeguards the profession (and hence children) now and in the future, safeguards the pensions which we (the school) have been contributing to and allows a rapid and permanent resolution to this industrial action without further sacrificing the pension rights of staff.

We will be publishing any updates or additional information here so please keep checking the school website.

Thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely

M Leenders
Acting Headteacher