Teachers at the John Roan in Greenwich have gone on strike today for the second time in a week over proposed job losses and threats to courses.

Pupils in years 7-10 were unable to go into school today because of the strike, but it remained open for students in year 11 to 13 who are soon to be sitting their GCSE and A level exams.

The headteacher Nadine Powrie recently announced a proposed restructure to tackle the school’s £438,000 budget deficit.

This proposed restructure put 11 teachers under threat of redundancy, as well as a narrowing in humanities courses, according to the National Union of Teachers (NUT).

Teachers and parents were out in force on the picket line early this morning, and some even joined the striking junior doctors at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich.

News Shopper:

Teachers join doctors on the picket line. (c.) @JohnRoanResists

Today is the second day of strike action, after union members walked out last Thursday, April 21.

Kirstie Paton, the school’s NUT representative said: “It was a difficult decision for us to take strike action, but we feel strongly that we have to take a stand against cuts to our students’ provision.”

The school has given a fall in sixth form students and expensive staffing costs for the reasons behind its deficit, but this has been repeatedly challenged by some parents, teachers and the union.

In a statement earlier this month, a spokesman for the school claimed the new headteacher Ms Powrie inherited the deficit when she joined in September last year.

He said: “Fewer students joined the school sixth form this year and last year, which has had a significant impact on the school’s overall funding.

“This, added to rising costs, led to a deficit projected for the year ahead.”

Greenwich Council has approved the £438,000 loan to balance John Roan’s budget over three years.