Half of 'at risk' Berwick school staff helped to find new roles after strike action ends

Half of all school staff put at risk by a reorganisation of the school system in the Berwick area have found employment under the new structure, it has been confirmed.

It follows significant disruption for pupils at the partnership's middle schools as union members went out on strike for fear of job losses. The partnership is moving from a three-tier to a two-tier system, meaning Glendale, Tweedmouth and Berwick Middle Schools will be closed.

Furthermore, there remains a further 20 posts still to be filled, with staff who will lose their jobs at the middle school set to be prioritised. However despite this progress, education union NASUWT has warned it will take further action if relations between Northumberland County Council and the unions deteriorate.

Speaking at Thursday's meeting of Northumberland County County Council's family and children's services scrutiny committee, head of school organisation and resources Sue Aviston said: "We can report 50% of staff deemed at risk have secured alternative employment - some within the Berwick partnership and other external appointments.

"There are still over 20 vacant posts within the Berwick Partnership. Some posts didn't receive applicants, or staff were appointed to other posts. They will be re-advertised to the staff at risk.

"There were also 47 staff identified that are at risk that aren't engaged in the recruitment process. This includes those were there wasn't suitable employment such as head teachers and senior leadership.

"There are also a number of staff looking for opportunities not necessarily in education, so we will be supporting them."

It comes after strike action was called off at the end of last month, with both sides stating that a "compromise" had been reached.

Union spokeswoman Lyn Houghton welcomed the progress that had been made but warned that support for further strike action had already been secured.

She said: "There has been a withdrawal of strike action for the moment and we are now at a point where we are engaging in normal industrial relations and engagements. We are at a point where we are able to do that.

"We have already secured another massive mandate in the Berwick partnership to continue with strike action if positive industrial relations that we now have fall below what the membership are expecting. We are disappointed it has taken a number of lost days for the children to get to this point and we would be expecting the local authority to be reflecting."

The reorganisation is taking place ahead of a significant investment into the partnership that will include new buildings for Berwick Academy. The overall budget for the project was recently increased to £50.2 million.

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