TEACHERS at a Leytonstone secondary school are to go on strike in protest at proposals to turn it into an academy.


At least 21 staff members belonging to the National Union of Teachers (NUT) will stage the one day walk-out at Connaught School for Girls in Connaught Road tomorrow (Tuesday October 15).


Headteacher Ann Betts said around half its teachers were taking part and the school would close for the day.


A consultation on the move closes this week and governors are to make a final decision next Wednesday (October 24).


If the school does become an academy it will break free from local council control, receiving all its funding direct from the government and giving management greater independence over its day-to-day running.


But critics, such as the NUT, believe academies will create a two-tier education system, damage the ability of schools to share resources and also impact on terms and conditions of staff.


Mrs Betts told the Guardian that management decided to launch a consultation after the council said that four-form entry schools like Connaught may not be viable long-term and that the authority had suggested the possibility of merging or creating some 'all-through' schools in future.


She said: “We are a viable school and it's worrying that there's so many unknowns in the future. By becoming an academy it will allow us to safeguard our future.


“We've got the highest [GCSE] results in the borough, we've got a healthy budget and for the last three Septembers I haven't had any staff leave. It's a successful school and we're rated good with outstanding elements by Ofsted.


“The governors feel, taking it all into consideration, we would have more power over our destiny by becoming an academy.”
 

Mrs Betts, who said parents had mixed views on the move, added: “It's not been an easy decision at all. For the NUT I think it's a matter of principle rather than anything specific to Connaught.”


An open letter sent to Mrs Betts by an unknown number of anonymous parents said the school would be damaged by the strike.


It said: "Whether we support the academy issue or not is irrelevant.


"We send our daughters to your school because it is a good school, with a good reputation. This is now being destroyed by what is happening."


The Guardian is awaiting a comment from the NUT, but a spokesman said it was planning more strikes at the school in future.