Education staff at Whitefield School in Waltham Forest, east London, staged a two-day strike this week, demanding improvements to health and safety, staffing levels and workload.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) walked out on Monday and Tuesday, with negotiations scheduled with management on Tuesday afternoon.

Around 50 workers joined Monday’s picket line, where they successfully turned away two food delivery vans heading for the school.

“We’re striking over serious health and safety concerns,” one NEU member said. They described struggling to deliver the curriculum amid increasingly large class sizes.

Whitefield School, which educates children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), has faced chronic understaffing and high turnover. One striker said the lack of continuity means pupils regularly encounter unfamiliar staff. “When children know their educators, they know what’s expected of them,” they added.

Staff say the school relies heavily on agency workers, many of whom lack specialist SEND training, to plug staffing gaps. Workload has grown as a result. Teaching assistants are “routinely asked to do tasks outside their job description,” one teacher said.

The school is run by the Learning in Harmony academy trust, which workers accuse of worsening the situation. “The trust introduces major changes without consulting the people who know these children best,” another striker said.

Parents joined the picket to show support. One parent said staffing levels are too low to meet children’s needs. Her son’s education, health and care plan promises one-to-one support and therapies that she says are not being delivered. “This isn’t a problem with staff—they’re doing their best. It’s mismanagement, and funding isn’t reaching the children,” she said.

A support worker reported that conditions have not improved since the strike began. “Class sizes are still too large, risk assessments haven’t been completed, and we’re still seeing more agency staff,” she said. “Workload and stress are taking a toll, but we’re united. We’re doing this for the kids.”

If no agreement is reached this week, NEU members plan further strikes next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Photo by Malate269, Wikimedia commons.