13^th November 2023

Dear Parents/Guardians

STRIKE ACTION: THURSDAY 16^th NOVEMBER

Members from the four non-teaching trade unions, UNISON, UNITE the UNION, NIPSA and GMB are being called to take part in strike action this week in relation to a trade dispute linked to the EA Pay and Grading Review.

Having completed a Risk Assessment, I and the Board of Governors have determined that strike action will lead to the following disruption to the school on Thursday 16^th November between 9.00am – 11.00am: It is anticipated that:

• EA home to school transport (yellow bus) may be affected and parents may have to transport their children to and from school.
• There will be no Breakfast Club.
• There will be no Crossing patrol during the morning and we ask that parents escort their children across the road.
• There will be no office staff and the phones may not be answered until 11.00am

In addition, the following services will be disrupted throughout the day:

• School meals will not be provided, therefore, all children should bring a packed lunch;
• There will be no supervision between 2.15pm and 3.00pm, children who normally use this service should be collected at 2.15pm
• Some Classroom Assistants will be on strike throughout the day and no other member of staff can undertake duties normally completed by those on strike.

Clearly, this is a difficult situation, which will cause disruption. I ask you, however, to be understanding. Strike action is very unusual and taking the step of strike action is not something that any member of the school staff undertakes lightly. Those on strike will have thought long and hard about their decision and will also lose pay for the period that they are on strike.

The staff in our school are invaluable to the learning, development and safeguarding of your children and I, along with the Board of Governors, feel strongly that they should be paid fairly for the essential and very challenging jobs that they do.

Yours sincerely

Mr Peter Cush

Principal