Teachers go on strike after 'foul, homophobic, racist and sexist' abuse from nightmare students
Teachers have walked out of Oasis Academy's Minster site on the Isle of Sheppey
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Teachers at a Kent school are on strike amid concerns about safety for members of staff.
Two schools run by Oasis Academy after violent pupils left them fearing for their own safety at two schools.
In a 2022 inspection, officials from Ofsted found found pupils using "foul, homophobic, racist and sexist language" at the school.
In a monitoring visit earlier this year, pupils’ behaviour outside of lessons was noted as improving but there were still issues with "some pupils’ use of derogatory language.
The school was criticised for pupil's behaviour
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Amid the issues, the National Education Union demanded negotiations with managers Oasis Trust.
However, negotiations collapsed after the school, which has two sites, one in Sheerness and one in Minster, failed to resolve the issues.
Earlier today around 80 teachers walked out, forcing the school to close.
Senior regional officer for the NEU Nick Childs said: "Behaviour at the school is currently completely unacceptable. Lessons are regularly disturbed and staff safety and well-being put at risk.“
Further strike action has been scheduled for November 28 and 29 and December 5 to 7.
An NEU statement said: "Teachers at the school have been calling for fixed exclusion tariffs of 10 days for assaults or threats of assaults against staff and pupils following numerous incidences of pupil threats and violence."
In 2022, after the report was published, the Department for Education removed the school from the Oasis Community Learning Trust and created two new schools.
It is understood online resources have been made available for year groups impacted.
The Department for Education confirmed last month Leigh Academies Trust and EKC Schools Trust were the preferred trusts to take ove
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An Oasis Academy spokesperson said: "Whilst this is a scenario that nobody wants, we have had positive discussions with the union, and we are confident that we have made significant progress.
"We remain committed to working positively with staff representatives to try and avoid any future disruption, and to ensure that Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey is a school where everybody can thrive."
The Department for Education confirmed last month Leigh Academies Trust and EKC Schools Trust were the preferred trusts to take over in September 2024.
The first will run a more academic school while the second will offer more vocational and technical courses.
In the 2022 Ofsted report, inspectors said: "Pupils do not feel safe at school because of the very poor behaviour that is not successfully managed by leaders and staff"
"Furthermore, pupils are worried about getting physically hurt or bullied because of the poor behaviour on site.
"Behaviour around the site is often dangerous and in lessons is frequently disruptive.
"As a result, pupils do not feel safe and have their lessons disturbed."
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