Jobs set to be axed at academy schools chain

An academy chain with schools in the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside has announced that as many as 40 support staff could face redundancy over plans to cut budgets.

The jobs at risk include caretakers, administrators, receptionists, secretarial, business management, finance, human resources and data management jobs.

Unions says the David Ross Education Trust (DRET) has launched a consultation exercise over proposals to cut nearly £1m in funding from its 32 primary and secondary schools.

The Trust has already increased the amount it charges schools to provide services such as payroll and human resources to £3.4m (up from £2m the previous year), say the unions representing school support staff – the GMB, Unite and UNISON.

The Trust is also planning to spend nearly £800,000 next year on its central teams, as it cuts jobs and budgets in schools, say the three unions.

The cuts will affect a number of different roles including caretakers, receptionists and office staff, some of whom may be forced to take a pay cut, according to the unions.

David Harrison, director of operations for the David Ross Education Trust, said: “The Trust has launched a consultation, which was developed in close partnership with the Unions, to look at how we can best use finances to support classroom learning.

“As the network has grown, and particularly given the financial challenges facing the education sector, it is right that we use the size and expertise of the Trust to enable education staff to focus on student outcomes.

“We want to be clear that any money saved will be reinvested directly into the classroom. This may mean a reduction in some support roles, but the vast majority of these will be met through not renewing fixed-term contracts, natural movement of staff and voluntary redundancy.

“Furthermore, the consultation does not propose that more work will move to centrally delivered services. We fully appreciate the vital role that support staff play. It is right, however, that we maximise the use of their expertise and avoid replication and repetition.”

UNISON head of education Jon Richards said: “The government said academies meant more control for headteachers, but academy trusts are moving funds away from schools, and charging them more for administration.

“The jobs under threat are key to the smooth and safe running of these schools. If they disappear, teaching staff will have to fill in the gaps. That means less valuable time spent in the classroom educating children. Schools forking out more for trust services leaves even less cash in already struggling school budgets.”

GMB lead officer for DRET Rachelle Wilkins said: ”What some academy trusts fail to realise is the huge amount of work our support staff – the unsung heroes of our school system – do to support pupils and get the job done.

“All of these roles – from financial officer to caretaker – provide so much more than their job description suggests. They are truly education’s forgotten army, they know the children by name, help to nurture them and are part of the safe school family that allows a child to learn and grow.

“Strip these roles away, and teaching assistants will be coming out of the classrooms to fill in the gaps left by the loss of these valuable staff. Whichever way you look at this – it’s children who will suffer.”

Unite national officer for local government Fiona Farmer said: “The decision taken by DRET to pursue its flawed financial strategy at the expense of school support staff is unacceptable. Charging more for shared services will severely impact on local budgets and the quality of classroom education.”

The Trust employs 2,200 staff and teaches around 11,000 students. DRET is set to open the Bobby Moore Academy in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in September.

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