A CRISIS-hit school could be shut tomorrow by teachers striking against plans to turn it into an academy.
Pupils have been told not to attend Copland Community School in Cecil Avenue, Wembley, because members of three unions - the National Union of Teachers, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, and the NASUWT (National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers) - will be holding industrial action.
The school could be turned into an academy by the Department of Education because it was handed the lower 'Inadequate' rating by Ofsted in May, and was placed in special measures.
Education secretary Michael Gove approved the appointment of an interim executive board, taking over the functions of the governing body, on June 19.
On the same day, Ofsted wrote to the school to declare both the school's nor Brent Council's action plans, designed to address the failings found by Ofsted a month earlier, as "not fit for purpose".
The letter reveals a quarter of the staff, including some of the senior leadership team, are taking voluntary redundancy at the end of this academic year in a bid to cut the wage bill and the school has permission to hire a maximum of seven Newly-Qualified Teachers as replacements.
Jon Cox, Brent NASUWT's acting president, said: “A programme of academisation is not about raising standards.
"It is simply the imposition of a warped political ideology on state schools.
"Unequivocal evidence that academies raise the quality of education simply does not exist.
"What Copland needs is investment in both staff professional development and attractive buildings which give pupils firstly, the decent working environment they deserve and secondly, the message that every child matters."
The teachers will be striking at 8am and then at 9am will be joined by parents and supporters in a march to Brent Civic Centre in Engineers Way, Wembley, where they will dump an effigy of the education secretary, Michael Gove, in a dustbin.
Hank Roberts (pictured), Brent ATL secretary and national president said: “Michael Gove's dismantling of state education and attempted abolition of parental choice in his forced academies programme is treacherous.
"For this he should be put in the dustbin of history where he and his policies belong."
Jean Roberts, joint Brent NUT secretary said: “Forcing Copland to become an academy is not the solution and won't bring in the needed funds. "How can any pupil learn adequately in such an appalling building.
"There needs to be a new school building plan agreed and begun as soon as possible in the autumn term.”
