Four secondary schools in North London faced cancellations of lessons due to teachers' strike actions against plans to raise class sizes to 30 students and to adjust teacher-contact time. The headteachers, citing financial pressures, argued these changes are necessary to align with national funding levels and ensure financial viability. The ongoing conflict stems from a longstanding agreement, upheld for nearly four decades, which limited class sizes to 27 students. Teachers express significant dissatisfaction over proposed changes, feeling it violates their established contract.
Efe Kurtluoglu, the assistant secretary of the Haringey NEU, stated: "It feels like the breaking of a contract... This agreement has been in place [almost] 40 years. Our members are angry, they want the schools to roll back these proposals."
Headteachers indicated that increasing class sizes and teacher contact time is necessary due to financial constraints: "Aligning class sizes and teacher contact time with national funding levels is necessary to ensure our staffing models are financially viable."
The letters to parents mentioned: "Cost-saving decisions have had to be made to ensure financial sustainability, including delaying site development projects."
Brian Lightman remarked that all schools are facing budget difficulties: "budget constraints are affecting all schools. ... schools have to make their budgets balance."
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