A PARENT group is having a picnic to show their support for a national teachers’ strike next week.

Campaign group Redbridge Against Academisation (RAA) has organised a picnic on the day of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) strike next week (July 5). 

RAA members have invited parents, children, councillors and MPs to the event on Christchurch Green in Wanstead on Tuesday afternoon, when teachers across the country are set to take part in a national protest against Government education policy.

RAA chairman and mother-of-two Victoria Baskerville said: “As a parent group, we want to show our support for the teachers who will be walking out next week.

“We’re glad they are going on strike and taking a stand, because it’s all in the name of better quality education for our children.”

After a fierce campaign last month, RAA successfully lobbied Redbridge Council to pass a motion against forced academisation of schools in the borough.

Since the motion was carried, the council has written to the Secretary of State for Education voicing its concerns over the Government white paper that aims to see all schools turned into academies by 2022.

Ms Baskerville added: “The Government response the council has had is very worrying.

“They are maintaining that academisation is what parents want, but we know that just isn’t true.

“Next week’s picnic is a community event, but it’s also a networking opportunity when we hope to speak to other parent groups about the issues we’re facing.”

RAA has invited parents from George Tomlinson Primary School in Leytonstone who are currently struggling with an academy chain takeover.

Redbridge’s NUT group has welcomed RAA’s support of its walkout next week.
Former president of the Redbridge Teachers’ Association Bob Archer said: “We have been blown away by the support of the RAA group, they are just fantastic.

“It’s really important that ordinary people have a voice when it comes to education, and that they understand as much as they can about the way it works.”

Mr Archer who has been teaching since 1965 says the main reasons 91.7 per cent of the NUT balloted for strike action are teachers’ working conditions, staff shortages and funding cuts.

He added: “Any parent in the country should be worried about the direction the Government is taking its education policy.

“Schools are being chronically underfunded, there aren’t enough school places for our children and constant testing and changes in the curriculum are driving teachers nuts.

“Teacher retention is another huge issue - there are lots of schools in Redbridge who are losing their work force because teachers keep leaving.

“We want a proper conversation with the Department of Education on these issues, which we’re just not getting at the moment.”

The picnic, complete with facepainting, storytelling and parachute games, will take place on Christchurch Green, Wanstead from 1.30pm to 4pm on Tuesday.

The Department of Education has been contacted for comment.