A UNION leader at an organisation which is set to take control of three Leyton schools says the plan should not go through.

The University and College Union (UCU) members have followed the National Union of Teachers in objecting to a plan to give Norlington School for Boys, George Mitchell and Beaumont Primary trust status.

The Institute of Education (IOE) is due to have a majority presence on the joint trust board, but UCU members insist their employer should not be getting involved in managing schools.

John Yandell, lecturer in education and UCU branch president at IOE, said: “As a UCU branch we have a position that the Institute shouldn't be getting itself involved in the management of trusts.

“We don't think it's the role of the Institute to operate in that way - It is wholly inappropriate.”

Mr Yandell added that although UCU members at the IOE were aware of plans to explore becoming involved with trusts, they were not initially aware of the strength of local opposition.

“We had not been acquainted with the details of what was being proposed in Leyton and particularly the extent to which there was clear evidence of concerted opposition,” he said.

“Those things should have been made plainer to those working at the Institute.”

The trust school plan has been met with fierce opposition from the NUT, which insists the plan will remove local accountability and not benefit pupils.

Union members have already taken strike action over the issue and plan to walk out again on July 15.

The local authority will retain the power to dissolve the trust if it fails to perform.