Dear Parents/Carers,

Industrial action by the NEU

Following on from previous letters informing parents of the planned industrial action by the National Education Union (NEU) on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March 2023, we have again made the difficult decision to only open the school to selected students.

We will therefore only be open to all Year 11 students on this day, some vulnerable children and selected Year 10 students who are sitting their BTEC Assessments for Health & Social Care and Business Enterprise. The families of the Year 10 students and vulnerable children will be notified directly to explain these arrangements and the times. We will always prioritise, as far as possible, those students who have public (GCSE) exams this summer in addition to identified key groups of learners.

Year 11 students will follow their normal timetables and will have normal lessons on this day – it is important that they attend school as normal. Attendance for Year 11 students will count towards their overall attendance figures which many colleges and sixth forms request when they apply to them – their attendance is very important.

Year 10 students should attend at the times notified for their Assessment.

This strike is part of a planned series of national industrial action organised by the NEU as part of a national dispute between this union and the government regarding teacher’s pay, and not direct action against their school. We have significant numbers of staff at the Boulevard Academy who are members of the NEU and strike action is further complicated by the fact that:

• There is no requirement for a union to inform us how many members of staff will take strike action.
• Union members are under no obligation to inform employers in advance of their intention to strike.

I’m sorry about the potential disruption this may cause. It is my hope that the government and the unions will resolve this situation as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Mrs J Mitchell
Principal/CEO