Staff at school go on strike over ‘racist and misogynist’ abuse from male students – two years after teacher was stabbed by pupil

The staff of the school where a teacher was stabbed went on strike repeatedly due to the racist and misogynistic harassment of male students by ‘gangs’.

Teachers at Tewkesbury Academy, near Gloucester, will walk out today and tomorrow following claims they faced threats of violence, derogatory language and verbal abuse from a handful of pupils.

A National Education Union (NEU) representative claimed staff were ‘really scared’ and believed the situation at the school was ‘out of control’.

In 2023, the stabbing of a teacher in Tewkesbury with a 15cm knife by a 15-year-old student led to a massive police response.

In the incident, the school was quarantined for four hours as teachers barricaded themselves in their classrooms and students were forced to hide in lockers.

Staff fear such an incident could happen again if senior management at the school, run by the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), fail to address concerns about student behaviour.

Teachers joined the strike action last month after talks broke down; The NEU had alleged headteacher Kathleen McGillycuddy bullied and intimidated staff and called strikers ‘weird’.

Responding to the allegations, CLF said: ‘We do not accept this description of Tewkesbury Academy as an accurate depiction of life within our school.’

The federation added that negotiations with the unions ‘remain live’ and that it was ‘hopeful that the dispute will now come to an end’.

Teachers had previously taken part in strike action last month over behavior problems at the school.

Members of Tewkesbury Academy, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) and the National Education Union (NEU) have said they will strike today and tomorrow.

In a letter to parents, Tewkesbury Academy said unions would go ahead with strike action planned today despite the school board making ‘a very clear offer that meets all demands’.

In the letter, principal Kathleen McGillycuddy said they were “very disappointed” [..] It was stated that the NEU and NASUWT continued their strike action on Thursday and Friday, despite all efforts.

‘Please find attached the Frequently Asked Questions that we promised in our parent meetings; I hope you will agree that it is a very clear offer that meets all demands.’

In the letter, it was announced that remote study would be arranged for the majority of students, 8th grade students would be at school today, and 11th grade students would be at school on Friday. He added that the school would be open to assist vulnerable students with additional needs.

Strike actions were also planned for 11, 12 and 13 March.

Parents of pupils in Tewkesbury voiced their support for striking teachers, with one hoping the strike would bring “change that is fair and representative of what British education should legally be”.

Another parent said last month: ‘Whilst strikes will inevitably impact on my daughter’s learning, I believe the issues raised are too important to ignore.’

‘When staff work under inconsistent policies, unclear expectations or leadership that does not create a fair and safe environment for everyone, the school cannot function well and children cannot thrive.’

Maths teacher Jamie Samsom was stabbed by a 15-year-old boy at Tewkesbury Academy in Gloucestershire on July 10, 2023.

Schoolchildren are taken out after Tewkesbury Academy in Gloucersershire went into lockdown in July 2023

A teacher from Tewkesbury Academy said: ‘There is a problem with a vocal minority. Students for whom the rules do not seem to apply.

‘They are doing this [behaviour] Because they don’t get the support they deserve and this affects other students. Essentially this depends on staffing levels. Staff left and were not replaced.

‘There is a feeling that the behavior system is not applied consistently. Therefore, students who are disruptive are not supported by senior management.

‘There is a feeling in the school that people (staff) are being bullied and intimidated. ‘People lost their trust and faith in the system and stopped raising formal complaints.’

One student at the school said their studies were disrupted by other students, they witnessed classmates making ‘Nazi jokes’ and female teachers being subjected to misogyny by ‘gangs’ of male students.

In a statement shared online, the student described the shocking ‘abusive language’ and said they were ‘personally affected by the lack of conduct policies’.

Tewkesbury Academy said it was not aware of the incident and had clear processes for managing such concerns, with all parties speaking out against such misinformation before.

A spokesperson for CLF said: ‘We do not accept this description of Tewkesbury Academy as an accurate depiction of life within our school. We are appalled by the calculated sharing of misinformation that has unfortunately become commonplace in this dispute. Preying on dedicated leaders through false media and online smears is disgraceful and shows a worrying disregard for their individual health and wellbeing.

‘While we recognize that there is, and always will be, work to be done to ensure that behavior consistently meets our high expectations, we have already introduced a number of new measures. This includes a significant investment in our Reset centre, where students with higher needs can learn in a dedicated area, reducing disruption to other classes. This is broadly aligned with the overarching goals set out in the Government’s Schools White Paper, ‘Every child achieves and thrives’.

‘Negotiations with unions are ongoing and demands and commitments are public. ‘We remain hopeful that the dispute can now come to an end and focus can be placed on developing Tewkesbury Academy as a safe, happy and high-performing school where teachers can thrive and all pupils can be supported to reach their full potential.’

The NEU has been contacted for comment.