Teachers strike at two Greater Manchester primary schools over culture of violence'

"Members of the NASUWT teaching union at Ravensfield and Lily Lane primary schools are taking nine days of strike action, from this week until 22 January, because of what the union called a culture of violence involving an increasing number of assaults by pupils against staff and other children. Matt Wrack, the NASUWT's general secretary, said the strike action was a declaration of emergency from the teachers at the two schools."

"Wrack said: Not only are school and trust leaders failing in their basic duty of care to provide this environment, but they have gone as far as to intimidate and punish staff who report concerns. This cannot continue. The union said the violence was causing some pupils to be afraid of attending school. The schools have remained open this week despite the strikes, and parents who spoke to the Guardian expressed surprise at the allegations."

"At Lily Lane primary in Manchester, teachers said they were not being supported to deal with high levels of aggression and that their concerns over pupils with highly complex special needs were being ignored. Outside Lily Lane at the end of the school day on Thursday, one parent said they had been unaware that the school had such severe issues until the news came about the teachers going on strike. Another parent said their child was happy at the school despite hearing that some students are occasionally aggressive."

Teachers at Ravensfield and Lily Lane primary schools in Greater Manchester are staging nine days of strike action through 22 January in response to almost daily assaults by pupils. The NASUWT describes a culture of violence and says trust and school leaders have failed to provide a safe environment while allegedly intimidating and punishing staff who report concerns. Staff report inadequate support for high levels of aggression and ignored concerns about pupils with complex special needs. The union says some pupils are afraid to attend school. Schools have remained open during the strikes and some parents expressed surprise at the allegations.

Read at www.theguardian.com