Warning Norfolk school staff could strike over teaching assistant job cuts

School staff could strike over an academy trust's proposals to scrap all teaching assistant roles from its Norfolk primary schools, warn union leaders.

A major shake-up at The Wensum Trust - which runs eight primary schools in the county - means 75 teaching assistants (TA) face redundancy or applying for 48.5 new pastoral and learning support (PAL) roles.

Jobs are at risk at Arden Grove, Firside, Garrick Green, Heather Avenue, Kinsale and Lodge Lane schools in Norwich, along with Burnham Market and Wells-next-the-Sea primary schools.

Union UNISON is calling for the trust to rethink its plans and says, in a consultative vote, 96pc of its members backed industrial action.

Cameron Matthews (Image: Mary Wyatt)

UNISON Eastern regional organiser Cameron Matthews said: "They should be making choices that prioritise children's education rather than damaging delivery and putting more strain on teachers.

"Teaching assistants would much rather be helping children learn than considering industrial action but they know that the harm to pupils would be far greater if these proposals go through.

"We urge the trust to abandon these plans."

Firside Junior School (Image: Newsquest)

Daniel Thrower, chief executive of the Wensum Trust, said the academy chain needed to make changes to balance its budgets.

He said: "We are facing budget pressures, like all those locally and nationally in the education sector.

"Our primary schools are carrying in year deficits and if we don't act now these will be replicated next year.

"This has meant we have had to review our staffing structure, so we can balance our budget.

"As part of this, we are developing new roles that better reflect our trust ethos – to support children’s education and pastoral needs.​"

He said the current teaching assistants had been prioritised for the new roles and would be paid at the same rate as now - or higher - within the new structure.

Mr Thrower said: "Following consultation with staff we have made some changes to the roles and are investing in further training and development. We also do not need to make any compulsory redundancies.

"Our priority continues to be to provide the best education and care for our children and we will continue to have a good level of support available across all of the schools in our trust."