Pupils and parents protest after trust announces nearly quarter of staff to be cut at Norfolk school

An academy trust's plans to lay off nearly a quarter of the teaching staff at a single school have been described as "outrageous" by parents who staged a protest at the school gates.

The Synergy Multi-Academy Trust which runs 15 schools in Norfolk, has announced it plans to cut approximately 30 members of staff at two schools, including 25 jobs at Reepham High School.

The cull could also see around five posts removed at Litcham School, near King's Lynn.

The trust cites falling pupil numbers and financial challenges as a reason behind the move but unions have described the move as "absolutely devastating".

Laura Marfell-Williams, whose two daughters are currently in Year 8 and Year 11 at Reepham High, told ITV News Anglia that parents were informed told of the restructuring a week ago.

"I think it’s absolutely outrageous," she said. "How can a single school support that many redundancies and continue to function as the quality school that it has been?

"I think the trust has seriously underestimated the response this is going to get from the community.

"We found out on Wednesday [11 December] - in 24 hours a Facebook page was set up, a petition was set up with over 1,000 signatures and the protest [the following Wednesday].

"Don’t underestimate the strength of feeling and the lengths that we will go to to protect our school and to protect their jobs," she added.

"25 job losses is just under 25% of the whole staff structure here," said Scott Lyons, branch secretary of the National Education Union (NEU).

"Look at the sixth form itself: it has got smaller classes, amazing Key Stage 5 provision - that will be decimated.

"This is quite unique and quite scary what’s going on here," he added.

"How is the trust, which two years ago was £1.2m plus in the black and healthy, now suddenly looking at huge cuts of over nearly half a million? This is quite scary.

"We took an indicative ballot [earlier this week] with our members and they've agreed to go to the next stage of strike action."

Former head boy Tom Griffin, who is studying biology at Oxford University also joined the protest outside the school on Wednesday.

"The reason everyone is so passionate about this is that Reepham is such a good school," he said.

"I would say 90% of getting to where I am now is thanks to this school and my family, so to see it struggling is just heartbreaking for us all.

"Everyone’s confused; everyone’s upset. It’s at a pretty inhumane time of the year to happen, just before Christmas."

North Norfolk MP Steff Aquarone wants the regional schools commissioner to step in.

"Regardless of the challenging financial situation, pupils' education must not be impacted," he said.

"I am urging the regional schools commissioner and the Department for Education to step in and lend a hand financially to ensure that pupils at Reepham High School continue to receive the high-quality education that they deserve."

The announcement comes after the Broad Horizons Education Trust - which runs 18 schools across Norfolk, revealed in October that more than 80 school support staff were facing redundancy as it looked to save £1m a year.

The plans include making 30 people redundant at Dussindale Primary School, in Thorpe St Andrew near Norwich.

Louise Lee, chief executive of Synergy Multi-Academy Trust, said: “Like many across the country, our schools face significant financial challenges.

“In recent years funding has not kept up with the increased costs of running a school and across our schools we are seeing falling pupil numbers due to the declining birth rate in Norfolk.

"These changes have placed immense pressure on our budgets and contributed to financial deficits at Reepham High School and Sixth Form College, and Litcham School.

"We remain committed to providing excellent teaching and learning across our schools and are carrying out a comprehensive review of how we work to identify how this can be maintained while the necessary savings are achieved.

“We appreciate this is a difficult and worrying time for staff, parents, and pupils. We are making sure staff have access to any support they might need and ensuring parents are informed throughout."

She added she could not comment further "out of respect for them and the process we are undertaking".

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