Related Press Release For The South East - GMB

Slough Primary 29 9 31.0
Secondary 11 8 72.7
Southampton Primary 60 12 20.0
Secondary 12 6 50.0
Surrey Primary 300 17 5.7
Secondary 53 28 52.8
West Berkshire Primary 66 0.0
Secondary 10 5 50.0
West Sussex Primary 230 14 6.1
Secondary 38 6 15.8
Windsor and Maidenhead Primary 45 4 8.9
Secondary 13 4 30.8
Wokingham Primary 49 0.0
Secondary 9 4 44.4
Paul Maloney, GMB Regional Secretary said, “GMB as the union for school support staff is
closely monitoring the steady stream of Academy conversions as we are always concerned for
our members when schools leave the State system.
They are being forced to do this by government policy and it is leaving schools in the hands of
individual head teachers and boards of governors with no accountability to the local
community, they do not have to listen to the public or parents.
Too often with conversions to Academies, support staff are viewed as an educational 'luxury',
despite their vital contribution to education and learning outcomes and the day-to-day running
of a school.
It is our experience that support staff are frequently the first group of school staff to have their
jobs and terms and conditions threatened. GMB strongly defends all school support staff and
believes they should be more highly respected for all that they do.
GMB is committed to doing it all it can to ensure that attacks from Michael Gove Secretary of
State for Education do not translate into targeting the most vulnerable members of the school
community.”
Ends
Contact: Mark Wilkinson, GMB Senior Organiser on 07802 984267 or Paul Maloney, GMB Regional
Secretary on 07801 343839 or Avril Chambers, GMB National Officer on 07974 251766 or GMB
Press Office: 07974 251823 or 07921 289880.