Schools in England are heading for the rocks. They are dealing concurrently with:

• forced academies and free schools
• a school places crisis because Local Authorities are forbidden from building schools
• an impossible curriculum
• tests and exams designed so that children will fail in droves
• child poverty at record levels but schools expected to ‘close the gap’
• a continuing assault on ethnic minorities and migrants
• teacher morale at rock bottom
• parents furious about the stress their children suffer
• the mass exodus of staff, with experienced teachers and heads walking out
• the Government’s attempts to fill the vacancies with unqualified teachers

etc etc

The only way to stop this is by mass resistance from teachers in alliance with parents. This strike signals a new phase in the battle for education.

With thanks to Polly Donnison for the cartoon. 

Reclaiming Schools will continue to support the NUT’s campaign with expert research.