Teachers strike at St Cuthbert's over safety concerns

Teachers at St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic High School have announced nine more strike dates, escalating a dispute over working conditions that began last month. The NASUWT union members, who started striking on February 24, walked out again on March 12 and plan further action unless the school trust resolves their concerns about workload, pupil behaviour, and safety.

The school, located on Shaw Road in Rochdale but attended by many Oldham pupils, has become a battleground between staff who say they feel unsafe and management who insist they're working to find solutions. Union representative Rachel Knight said teachers have 'little confidence in the way in which they or the school are being managed' and feel compelled to take action 'not just for themselves, but for the pupils at St Cuthbert's who are also being systematically failed by the employer.

Social media posts incorrectly claimed only female teachers were striking, confusing the union's historical name-a merger of a female teacher's union and a schoolmaster's union-with current membership. The NASUWT is open to both men and women. Meanwhile, the school trust has kept Year 11 pupils on site as they prepare for GCSE examinations, describing these students as 'a key focus' during the dispute.

Parents now face arranging childcare or supervision for their children on the upcoming strike dates, while Oldham pupils attending the school experience disruption to their education. The trust says it 'remains committed to negotiating and working in partnership' with staff, but with nine more strike days scheduled, the standoff shows no signs of ending soon. Both sides appear dug in as GCSE season approaches, leaving families caught in the middle of a dispute that's about much more than just...