Caldicot school parents worry as teachers strike

Parents say they have been "left in the dark" over a dispute which has seen teachers at a Monmouthshire school striking over pupil behaviour.

Staff at 1,300-pupil Caldicot Comprehensive have staged two walkouts since September over what they say is a failure to address violence and abuse.

Members of the NASUWT union are also refusing to teach some pupils who they consider a risk to staff.

Monmouthshire council said it was committed to resolving the issue.

One parent of children at the school, Jon, has started a petition asking for an open meeting for parents with the local authority and school management.

He said there had been a lack of information and that made things difficult as parents.

"All we've been told is that the teachers are concerned for their safety, which has meant as a result we've been concerned about the safety of our children," he said.

"We want to see policies to do with behaviour brought in that satisfy the teachers that they feel safe, and so through that our children are safe as well."

David, who also has children at the school, said they have been "left in the dark".

"People are worried. They're worried about their kids missing school. They're worried about the safety of the school," he said.

He said that incidents happen at all schools, "but they seem to not be dealt with properly here".

Teaching unions said concerns first emerged in 2019, which has now culminated in industrial action by the NASUWT and NEU unions.

There have been two strikes on 21 September and 25 October, which resulted in the school being closed to pupils.

Action short of a strike by the NASUWT has also meant that members have refused to teach certain children.

The union said behaviour was not extreme compared to other schools across the country, but it alleged that the management had not responded effectively to the problems.

NASUWT national executive member Sharron Daly said there had been a refusal to acknowledge and deal with poor behaviour by some pupils.

The union wants the local authority to step in, adding: "If a pupil is physical with a member of staff, be it threatening, pushing, grabbing, hitting, you know that is a red line that is absolutely unacceptable.

"It's not acceptable in any workplace, and it's not acceptable in the classroom. So they are the kind of incidents that have led us to the position we are in now."

Safety was also a concern for some parents, like Anna.

"They shouldn't have to go to school and feel something happened to them, or something could happen in the classroom, and it's undermining the authority of the teachers when they are there to teach," she said.

"They're not there to be hassled and whatever else is going on to them in the school. It's not right in this day and age."

A Monmouthshire council spokesperson said "We completely understand how frustrated parents are feeling. The last thing we want is for pupils to lose any time learning."

The council said it was "focused on urgently resolving this complex and sensitive situation.

"The NASUWT has made the authority aware through its ongoing industrial action of a very small number of pupils that their members are refusing to teach.

"We will work with the school and the unions to mitigate this situation and ensure that all learners can access the education they are entitled to."

The council also confirmed that the head teacher is not in work at the moment.

The Welsh government said it "is not directly involved in this dispute as it is a matter for the employing body to resolve with the trade union".

Further strikes are planned, the next on 15 November.