Dear Students, Parents and Carers,
Following my email on Monday the 9th December I am writing to inform you about further upcoming industrial action being taken by the National Education Union (NEU) on the following dates:
- Tuesday 7th January
- Wednesday 8th January
- Thursday 9th January
As you are now well aware the college has a significant number of teaching staff who are members of the NEU, which is taking action over pay and funding for Sixth Form Colleges. Further information can be found here you can also find the NEU's letter to the Secretary of State here.
Impact on College Operations
All exams will take place as usual so any student taking their Vocational exams during the action should come into college as per their exam timetable.
INSET DAY- Monday 6th January, we have now taken the decision to postpone the planned inset day on the first day of term. Lessons are now going ahead onsite as usual as per students timetables for a Monday.
I am really concerned particularly on the impact of missed lessons on students taking their Vocational exams during the first and second week of term so believe it's really important that they especially have a face to face lesson and are in college on the first day of term. I know many of you will have planned breaks around the return to college on the 7th so we will be counting any non attendance on the 6th of January as authorised if students follow the usual absence procedure, via the button on MyVarndean.. However, if students are able to come into college and attend their lessons that day I strongly encourage them to.
On the 7th, 8th and 9th January any lessons will take place IN COLLEGE so students should expect to have some of their lessons taking place. Lessons will go ahead IN COLLEGE if delivered by teaching staff who are not participating in the industrial action. Students will be notified on an individual basis by their teachers. Please note that we are unable to confirm in advance who is going to be on strike. To make any journeys worthwhile for those students who have less lessons than usual on a day we will also be opening up spare classrooms and providing study spaces for those students who wish to use the time to study in college. I know staff are setting lots of planned study activities so all students have lots to do.
Apologies and Further Information
I sincerely apologise for the continued inconvenience caused and the impact the action is having. I know that our teaching staff have not taken the decision to strike lightly as they really do put students at the heart of what they do. This situation could be remedied if there was equity between the non academised Sixth Form Colleges in England and those who are academies. All Sixth Form Colleges are part of the same nationally negotiated pay and conditions so I would like to counter the government response that all FE Colleges set their own pay and conditions. As a Sixth Form College we are part of a collective pay bargaining agreement and therefore follow a national pay agreement which at the moment is under threat as approximately 60% of SFCs have received the funding to cover the pay award. There are currently 32 Sixth Form Colleges taking part in this action. The Sixth Form Colleges Association has launched a judicial review into the decision to fund us differently. The MP for the College ward, Brighton Pavilion, Sian Berry has raised this at question time on our behalf Topical Questions - Hansard - UK Parliament but I know many of you will have a different constituency MP. I have written to all of our Brighton and Hove MPs as well as both the Skills Minister and Secretary of State for Education. I will continue to do all I can to lobby for this situation to end as well as to do my very best to mitigate the impact where possible.
We will continue to keep you updated with any changes as soon as they arise.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.
Best wishes,
Donna-Marie Janson
Principal
