Teachers at Northfield Academy are holding a formal strike vote over inadequate protection from pupil violence.
The vote was called by Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) members on behalf of teachers at the Aberdeen academy.
An EIS spokesman cited “serious concerns over the safety of staff” due to students’ challenging behaviour. The union has said that the students in question are only a small percentage of the school population.
A spokesperson for Aberdeen City Council said that there have been attempts to strengthen the relationships between pupils and staff at Northfield since union members lodged their original dispute in June 2022.
But union reps said the problematic behaviour has transitioned into violence. A perceived lack of adequate support from school leadership and Aberdeen City Council has left teachers feeling unsafe, the union said.
Earlier in the year, an EIS member survey showed that half of the city’s teachers were considering leaving the job. Most cited pupil violence as the main reason.
And a preliminary poll of Northfield Academy EIS members shows that the majority are currently in favour of a strike.
Violence and threats are unacceptable
EIS Aberdeen secretary Heather Collie said that teachers are trained and accustomed to handling challenges from students. But no amount of training should mean that teachers have to be open to violence, she said.
“What will always be unacceptable, however, is where challenging behaviour escalates to become violence or the threat of violence against a member of teaching staff.
“It is, unfortunately, the case that violence against teachers, both physical and verbal, perpetrated by a very small percentage of pupils, has become far too frequent at Northfield Academy.”
The concerns at Northfield illustrate a problem with violence that teachers across Aberdeen have noticed over the last three years.
Despite efforts to address the teachers’ concerns at Northfield, Aberdeen EIS co-secretary Ron Constable said leaders aren’t providing enough support.
“The response has been, to put it mildly, disappointing and this has compelled us to ballot our members for industrial action.
“A safe place to work is surely not too much to ask for teachers, who simply want to get on with their jobs delivering a quality educational experience for young people.”
Council ‘disappointed’ by appetite for a strike at Northfield Academy
According to an EIS consultative ballot, 81% of Northfield Academy teachers support some type of industrial action and 70% said they would vote for a strike.
The official strike ballot at Northfield Academy is open from now until Friday November 18. Its results will determine what, if any, action union members take on campus.
An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said that the council was disappointed to see EIS members considering a strike at the school. They said that there have been efforts to provide staff with more training and development and give them a stronger voice at the school.
“Staff welcomed the chance to invest significant time on the development of a refreshed relationships policy last session in collaboration with pupils and wider stakeholders, including the Parent Council.
“The school launched an innovative pilot to support pupils finding it hardest to engage with education, bringing considerable additional staffing resource and expertise to the school.
“Northfield Academy is a school where every staff member and pupil is valued – where inclusion and opportunity are at the heart of education – and we hope to work with trade union colleagues to resolve the issues raised, so we might continue to provide a positive place of learning for all.”
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