Staff at Sheffield school for SEND children strike over 'excessive workload,' says union
“Member concerns include include excessive workload and inadequate staffing levels”
Staff at a Sheffield secondary school for SEND Children are on strike over “excessive workloads” and “safety practices,” a union says.
Members of the National Education Union at Talbot Specialist School, in Norton Lees, staged a walk out on Thursday (November 5) with five more strike days planned in the next two weeks.
A statement from the NEU claims staff have “mounting concerns about excessive workload, safe working practices and a lack of transparency in school governance.”
It reads: “This is due to dispute with Talbot Specialist school on workload, safety and working practices.
“Member concerns include include excessive workload and administrative demands, inadequate staffing levels and support, insufficient protected ‘planning, preparation and assessment’ (PPA) time, and a lack of meaningful consultation over changes to working practices.
“Staff have also raised concerns about health and safety, pay progression, communication, and the impact of current practices on their wellbeing and morale.”
Sheffield branch secretary Rafia Hussain accused the school for children with special education needs (SEND) of “failing to engage in meaningful dialogue” in talks.
They said: “This is deeply disappointing and unacceptable. Our members want a resolution, but meaningful progress requires management to be willing to listen, engage and address the serious concerns raised by our members.
“Strike action is never taken lightly, particularly in a school supporting vulnerable students, but management cannot continue to ignore the concerns being raised, which is compromising the safety and wellbeing of both staff and students.
“The responsibility to resolve this dispute now rests firmly with the school’s management.”
The number of industrial action ballots by the NEU has reportedly tripled in recent years, from 76 in 2022-23 to 229 in 2024-25.
The NEU says the increase in ballots is a “consequence of sustained and chronic underfunding of our schools”.
Talbot is one of the few schools in Sheffield not part of an academic learning trust, and is instead maintained by Sheffield City Council. It is located on the same site as Newfield Secondary School.
A spokesperson at the authority said it is meetings NEU representatives, and has “asked the NEU and its members employed at the school to reconsider their proposed action.”
The said: “The council’s priority remains minimising disruption for pupils and families while supporting the school to work through any issues raised for those who work there and are part of their community.”
Talbot was rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted at its last inspection in 2022.
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