TEACHERS will strike over plans to take a Leyton secondary school out of local authority (LEA) control.

National Union of Teachers (NUT) members at Norlington School for Boys voted unanimously to walkout on Thursday, July 2.

Governors voted in favour of a council plan to adopt trust status, which will see control of school property and land, as well as everyday operations, handed to the Institute of Education.

Norlington will merge with George Mitchell and Beaumont Primary under the proposal to create the Leyton learning and Leisure Campus on part of the cricket ground, off High Road.

NUT regional secretary Rinaldo Frezzato said: “The union and members are opposed to schools leaving control of the community and Waltham Forest LEA.

“We believe that the future of schools should lay with properly managed local authorities.

“The LEA has got the resources to do everything required. We believe in a policy of democratic accountability and don’t believe schools should go into private hands, even if the private hands are the Institute of Education. We feel its job is to train teachers not run schools.

“Staff take industrial action reluctantly and feel forced to take such a serious step. We feel the governing body has not taken into account the views of parents, teachers and the local community.

"Governors voted for this move by six to three, with three obstaining. This is hardly a ringing endorsement of the policy."

A total of 29 of the 55 teachers at Norlington are NUT members and the union expects the school to close on the day of the strike.

The union describe the strike as "discontinuous action", which menas there could be further walkouts in the future.

There will be a picket line outside the school during the walkout.

Governors of other schools in the borough have also voted in favour of adopting trust status as part of the government’s Building Schools for the Future programme, which will see all secondary schools rebuilt or refurbished.

The University of East London will become the trustee of Tom Hood School and Cann Hall Primary in Leytonstone, which will merge.

Cllr Liaquat Ali, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “I can confirm that the NUT has written to the council to give notice of members’ intention to strike at Norlington School for Boys.

“Educating Norlington’s pupils must come first and the Council is working tirelessly with the NUT to try to resolve the issue.

“More information will be posted on the Council’s website – www.walthamforest.gov.uk - as and when it becomes available.”