I fear my response is going to be controversial. I have to first admit to the fact that I personally have never taken action in this way. I have never felt that I could walk away from the pupils in my care and, as I progressed to leadership, I felt that even more strongly.
Having said that, I do not deny that it is important to recognise that this is about personal choices and convictions and we must respect this and put in place suitable strategies to ensure that we comply with the requests for absence from those going on strike while also looking after the needs of the school community as a whole. So what could be done?
First, check how many staff will be taking strike action as soon as you can.
Send a letter to parents explaining clearly why strike action is occurring. There will be parents who will support this and who may decide that the best thing to do is to keep the children at home. There will be others who cannot afford childcare or time away from work themselves and for these I would always ensure that cover is available in school.
I would explain also how the children are to be “covered” (possibly the senior leadership team working with teaching assistants, governors and/or regular volunteer parents who will all be police checked and who will know the children.
Parents should be advised that if the child is coming to school they should deliver them in the normal manner, that registration will happen in class but that their children will then be taken to the hall where they will be divided into cross-year/phase groups and allocated an adult who will be responsible for them for the day. The day will consist of activities and challenges which they work together to complete.
Add a reply slip to ensure that parents return an acknowledgement and an acceptance of this strategy for the day.
So, on the day, what activities could a school offer?
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Work together to design the storyboard and create an animated story with sound.
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Design an art board which tells the story of the vision and values of the school with each pupil having created a part of the design.
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Put up a list and ask each group to name a country that they would like to learn about. Their job is then to spend time doing some research to find out about the country and then to share what they have learned.
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Create posters on their sporting heroes but this must include the language that they would use to describe them – such as determined/strong/team player/focused and so on.
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Ask the children to work as a team to look at setting up a business. What would they sell? Could they work out the cost for one unit? How would they market it?
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Follow English Speaking Board strategies – each member of the group must present by the end of the day: a reading from their favourite book and be able to answer questions from other group members; a three-minute talk on a subject of their choice (favourite sport, hobby, interest); a poem that they have memorised, with expression, and an explanation of why they have chosen that particular poem.
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If you feel brave then something that can be done by small schools is to work together. Why not pool your ideas and resources with nearby schools and have a collaborative, creative day together?
ASK BRENDA
Brenda Bigland CBE is an education consultant, trainer and coach and a former primary school headteacher. Visit www.askbrenda.co.uk
If you have a question that you would like Brenda to advise on, email Headteacher Update at pete.henshaw@markallengroup.com