Hackney teachers go on strike in response to school funding cuts

The Hackney National Union of Teachers called a rally outside the town hall on Thursday. (Image: Archant)

Parkwood Primary School was closed to students due to the strike action, which was called in response to the loss of three intervention teaching posts.

These teachers support students who need extra help in terms of reading, writing and numeracy and those who speak English as a second language.

The Hackney inclusion and specialist support team also went on strike against the threat of a 50 per cent cut in posts in the early years team. This team identifies and supports young children with special educational needs and provides support for them in order to prepare them for school life.

As reported in the Gazette last year, the National Union of Teachers has created a website – schoolcuts.org.uk – which shows schools in Hackney will be more than £23million worse off by 2020.

Teachers at Parkwood Primary School went on strike on Thursday over the loss of three intervention teacher posts. (Image: Archant)

A rally was held by the Hackney branch of the NUT outside the town hall on Thursday lunchtime to protest against the cuts.

NUT Hackney divisional secretary Dave Davies said: “It is no surprise that the first children to suffer from the severe underfunding of education are those with special educational needs and disabilities alongside those that need a little extra help with their literacy and numeracy.

“If these cuts go ahead we will see schools struggling to maintain the high quality of education that the children of Hackney deserve.

“Although we understand the main reason behind these cuts is the funding level we urge the Hackney Learning Trust and local schools to do everything in their power to avoid cuts in frontline services and to join with us in the campaign for more funding for schools.”