The teachers at Pencoedtre High School in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, are on strike as a response to a calculated 50 ‘serious’ incidences of physical and verbal abuse since September, according to a statement released by the NASUWT Union. The council of Vale of Glamorgan claims to be actively working to improve the school’s working environment. The situation has been reported to be reflective of a wider trend in Welsh schools, with reports indicating that NASUWT-affiliated members, including staff at an additional five schools, are growing increasingly concerned about classroom safety, violence and the administration’s lack of response.
Mark Adams, a representative for the NASUWT, has stated that a decline in student behaviour has consistently left faculty with few options. Despite being in negotiations with the school for eight months on the issue, Adams claims “they don’t appear to be taking the matter seriously” and that “my members are at risk, and we’ve decided enough is enough.” Neil Butler, the NASUWT’s National Officer in Wales, stated to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that “gangs of learners” have been “roaming the corridors” of Pencoedtre High and that verbal abuse had become a frequent occurrence in classrooms, with the “serious internal truancy problem” being indicative of “other schools as well.” NASUWT members are set to strike at schools which they feel don’t adequately protect teachers.
Although attacks on teachers are “fortunately relatively rare”, Butler confirms that they are taking place and that employers need to respond with “permanent exclusion” where necessary. Striking teacher Sharron Daly, NASUWT’s representative for South East Wales, has accused management: “what’s happening here isn’t different from any other school in Wales – what’s different here is the management’s response to that behaviour. […] Our members are not supported by management when they try to deal with those incidents of indiscipline.” The employer’s response seems to be perceived as inadequate.
The Vale of Glamorgan council and school released a joint statement, acknowledging their awareness of the situation and commitment to solving it in partnership with the NASUWT. This statement indicates a willingness to meet the needs and expectations of the striking teachers, however, it remains unclear if this will mitigate the current situation
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