Parents at the “most strike-hit” group of schools in London have called for an end to the dispute that has seen children lose more than 300,000 hours of learning.
Pupils at the Prendergast schools in Lewisham will have missed more than three weeks due to a “disproportionate” string of strikes by teachers over plans to turn the schools into an academy trust, campaigners said. Some children at the five schools, which are part of the Leathersellers’ Federation, are only attending school on Mondays and Fridays.
A further week of strikes is planned for after half-term, and teachers this week were balloted on whether to extend the strike into the summer.
Campaigners say the strikes have resulted in 15 days of lost learning — the equivalent of more than 300,000 hours across the 3,000-plus pupils affected.
This is in addition to the five days of national teacher strikes over pay. Parents fear that as well as damaging their children’s education, the dispute will cause irreparable harm to the previously happy school community.
