Maths and English teachers jobs at risk at Chichester College

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The equivalent of ten full-time jobs across the Maths and English departments are said to be at risk at Chichester and Crawley College following an announcement to staff on Wednesday (January 6) a union spokesman has said.

This would reduce current staff numbers from 25 to 15 across the Chichester and Crawley campuses, the union has said.

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In a statement from Chichester College UCU, the trade union that represents the staff affected and over 120,000 members in further and higher education, a spokesman said: “Great emphasis is placed upon Colleges to support students who have left school without their GCSEs and to enable them every opportunity and adequate support to achieve both their English and Maths to access potential employment or opportunities for further study.”

According to the union, plans to change the way that English and Maths are delivered at the College have also raised concerns.

Teachers could see additional sessions with increased class sizes and a permanent post-pandemic use of independent, self-study.

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The spokesman said these changes would have a 'profoundly detrimental impact' on staff and the on the quality of education students receive

The spokesman continued: “Already overworked and unpaid, further education workers have faced a real terms cut in wages of 30 per cent since 2009 and with 24,000 jobs already lost in sector resulting in unmanageable workloads.

"These proposed changes would make it incredibly difficult to recruit and retain qualified and experienced staff and deliver the outstanding education the college celebrates, and as professionals, we want to provide our learners.”

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Chichester CollegeChichester College
Chichester College

English lecturer Vikki Carey, one of the staff members at risk said: “This year we’ve seen students and their parents/carers show increasing concern about their ability to achieve after having missed so much schooling due to Covid.

"This has been the most stressful year I’ve ever seen in the profession, and now my colleagues and I are facing redundancy. It is a massive blow and has had an impact on all our health and wellbeing.

"Our fear is that face-to-face teaching will be replaced by online modules instead of delivery by a trained professional.

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"Removing teachers and increasing class sizes is not going to help students who have already missed a year of school and rewarding teachers and the college community who have worked so hard this year with job losses is, quite frankly, unconscionable.”

Messages of support have been coming in from across the country since news of the proposals broke over the weekend when a statement from the union was published online.

Paul Mountain, Branch Secretary of the CWU Portsmouth and District Postal Workers Branch said: “I wish you all the best in your struggle with your employer. If you stick together and back your Union I have full confidence you will be victorious. You have the full support of the CWU and your postal workers in this area.”

Local messages of support have also come from Cllr Kevin Hughes (Lab, Chichester East) & Cllr Sarah Sharp (Grn, Chichester South).