WHAT has been a troubled term for students, parents and staff at two borough secondary schools is set to end on a new low – with teachers and staff who are in fear of their jobs taking industrial action.

While some parents of children at Gable Hall and Hassenbrook schools in Corringham and Stanford-le-Hope have expressed support for the incoming administrative Mossbourne Federation, a significant number of others remain concerned about the future of education in the area – with Mossbourne planning to cut staff and the curriculum offer at both schools.

That concern has led to critical comments from the area's MP and Thurrock Council's education portfolio holder, who went public with her condemnation of the way events at the schools have been managed.

However, Cllr Vikki Harstean declined to put her words through official Thurrock Council processes – instead posting on the local Labour party's political website - something that has anoyed local councillors.

Reform MP James McMurdock has also made a public challenge to the administration at the schools, currently managed by the much-criticised Ortu Federation.

At the heart of all the concern, teachers and staff at the two schools – and the sister Corringham Primary, feel threatened and undervalued and they will be making their concerns known through action starting tomorrow (Wednesday, 11 December).

Teachers will be taking industrial action at Gable Hall and Hassenbrook schools.

Staff in the NASUWT teaching union intend to engage in 'action short of strike'.

That action includes teachers:

• not implementing any existing or new policies, initiatives or working practices (including classroom organisation, etc.) which have not been the subject of consultation and agreement with the NASUWT;
• refusing to attend more than one after school staff meeting per week of a maximum one hour and not in a week which coincides with a parental consultation evening;
• refusing to take part in lining up students prior to lesson start;
• refusing to undertake supervision of pupils during their lunch break and may exercise their right to leave the school site during their lunch break;
• refusing to undertake cover for absence, unless they are employed on a contract wholly or mainly to provide cover for absence;
• undertaking only self-directed planning, preparation and assessment activities during their Planning, Preparation and Assessment (PPA) time.

The union says it has given all appropriate notifications under employment laws of its action - but now says its members are being threatened with being 'locked out' if they refuse any of those duties.

A full statement from the union, which is calling on the secretary of state for education to intervene, can be found here.

Head of Gable Hall, Sam Cooper, has written to parents to say: "While we hope that teaching and learning and the usual school day will not be affected, I must inform you that should the action proceed there is a possibility that some year groups may be asked to remain at home, or sent home, throughout the course of the day.

"Please be assured that asking students to stay at home, or sending students home, will be an absolute last resort and we will do all within our power to avoid this."

Paul Hughes (left) and Sam Cooper have written to parents.

Mr Cooper's letter to parents can be read via this link.

The level of change planned at the schools - and the budget challenges Mossbourne says it faces were highlighted in this recent Thurrock Nub News story:

• Jobs and lessons are to be axed as schools bid to make up deficit of more than £1 million

The level of disquiet among staff – with substantially more than 50 posts across the Trust, is reflected in an emotional statement by a member of staff, exclusively to Thurrock Nub News.

The teacher, whose request for anonymity we respect, describes the action of the schools trust as 'blunt and brutal' – saying staff who have dedicated many years, and whole careers, to the schools are being slapped in the face and treated as 'unworthy'.

A teacher's lament:

How the drama unfolded as teachers and staff learned their futures are in jeopardy via Zoom meeting.

Paul Hughes, the CEO of Mossbourne, currently also acting as interim CEO at the Ortu Federation, has also written to parents this week.

He says that the Trust received 274 responses to its request for feedback from parents over changes.

That figure has been widely disputed on social media with parents saying the timescale for making comments was too short and that during the period it was supposed to be working, it wasn't.

The two secondaries have a total student number of 2,076 places (Gable Hall 1,296; Hassenbrook 780).

Not all parents are unhappy - as these social media posts show.

Mr Hughes has responded to areas of concern, including the impact on year 10 students of change, reduction in curriculum offerings including fewer GCSE options, the mandatory imposition of history and Religious studies, the school timetable and support for special needs students.

He says that the Trust will reflect on parents' concerns in light of responses to the consultation and we will review some of its proposals including changes to the Spring term

He says the new term dates are set to be adopted from September 2025 and the Trust will share decisions in the Spring Term.

Referring to changes in holiday breaks, he adds: "Should the new term dates be adopted from September 2025, we will make sure that families and staff are not financially penalised by the decision and will support taking of any holidays which were booked prior to Friday, 29th November 2024.

Mr Hughes concludes by saying: "We hope this letter goes some way to providing more guidance and wish to offer our gratitude, again, to parents and carers who offered views and suggestions.

"We will write to parents and carers in the Spring Term to confirm the outcome of the consultation and relevant changes at both Gable Hall and Hassenbrook Schools."

You can read his fill letter via this link.

Mr Hughes did not touch on the issue of the school's pending budget which is set to be cut by more than £1 million, nor the pending industrial action by teachers.

South Basildon and East Thurrock MP James McMurdock.

Reform MP Mr McMurdock expressed significant concern over proposed changes, saying he had received many representations from constituents, including parents of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

He has formally requested a meeting with representatives of the Ortu Trust, which manages Ortu Gable Hall School, Ortu Hassenbrook Academy and Ortu Corringham Primary School to address the community's pressing concerns.

Those concerns raised by constituents include:

• The financial rationale behind the proposed changes and the Trust's long-term sustainability.
• The impact of extending the school day on children requiring additional support or medication.
• Reductions in staffing, particularly within pastoral and SEN teams, and the resulting implications for vulnerable students.
• The narrowing of creative and technical subject options, which could limit career pathways in trades and creative industries.
• Adjustments to term dates and holidays, which may present challenges for working families.

 Mr McMurdock added: "The proposals outlined by the Ortu Trust have understandably caused a great deal of anxiety among parents, students, and staff.

"The education and well-being of our young people must be the priority in any decision-making process. It is crucial that these concerns are addressed openly and transparently.

"I am committed to ensuring that the voices of my constituents are heard and that we work collectively to find a positive way forward."

Mr McMurdock has also requested a meeting with the Secretary of State for Education to discuss these concerns and advocate for additional support and oversight for the school and the wider community.

Thurrock Council's portfolio holder for Education, Cllr Hartstean, broke a period of silence after the story about the planned changes with an announcement on the local Labour group's platform.

And she turned on the council's previous administration for allowing the situation to arise.

Cllr Vikki Hartstean highlighted Gable Hall and Hassenbrook's problems on Labour's local platform.

Cllr Hartstean said: "While the running of these schools is no longer within the remit of the Local Authority, we do have a vital role to play as a critical friend to Academies. With Gable Hall rated as inadequate, by Ofsted, and Hassenbrook as requires improvement, it is clear that decisive action is needed.

"Unfortunately, previous cabinet members appear to have neglected this important part of the role and have allowed the situation to persist unchecked for far too long.

"The Ortu Academy Trust has clearly been failing its pupils for some time, losing both the trust and the confidence of parents. Something needed to change and my only regret is that it has taken so long.

"I met with the Department for Education (DfE) to discuss the situation in detail and made it clear that the Mossbourne Federation, the Trust taking over the schools, must put our children first. Mossbourne Federation must deliver—and we'll be keeping a close eye every step of the way.

"Our primary focus as a Council—and mine as the Councillor responsible for these matters—is to ensure that the Mossbourne Federation prioritises delivering the high-quality education and opportunities that these pupils have been unjustly denied for so long.

"I recognise that improvement will take time, but as long as I'm responsible, the Council will keep fighting for our children's futures. We are committed to transparency, keeping parents and residents in the loop, and doing everything we can to improve outcomes for Thurrock's young people.

"Thurrock's children and young people deserve better, and I won't stop until they get it."

Independent ward councillors in the area have also expressed concerns and had a meeting with Cllr Hartstean and the council's leading education officer Michele Lucas, calling for the council to make an official statement and to lobby the Department for Education, asking for stronger intervention and more transparency.

Corringham and Fobbing councillor John Fox said: "Independent councillors in Stanford, Corringham and Homesteads and Fobbing are increasingly concerned by what appears to be total complacency by Thurrock Council about the management of two of the borough's senior schools in our wards.

"We have been given assurances by the relevant officer and the portfolio children's services that the council is pressing the Department for Education, and that it has received reassurances that things are happening.

"We do not know the full extent of the reassurances – and neither do residents and local children who are very concerned about their future.

"In our view Mossbourne continues to treat them with something akin to contempt.

"It's not good enough for the council to 'tut-tut' behind the scenes. We expect to see strong leadership and a solid defence of residents' rights, entitlements and expectations from the council's executive.

Cllr John Fox articulated local independent councillors' concerns.

"Independent councillors met with Cllr Vikki Hartstean and the Director of Education Services, Michele Lucas, and expressed all our concerns and that we felt it was vital that the council came out strongly in public with both concern about and condemnation of the way things have unfolded.

"We were told the council would do that.

"But, we are not seeing that, and as councillors 'on the ground in the affected wards we are doing our bit, as much as we can, to press the council, the DfE, Mossbourne and Ortu but it is disappointing the council cavalry remains in barracks."

Teachers' lament

The full text of the emotional message from a local teacher, highlighted earlier in this report, can be found below.

It all began a little over three weeks ago. A sense of dread came over us when on Thursday 14th November, we were told an extraordinary meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 19th November. The whispers started almost immediately—heightened by the sight of our senior leadership team pulled into an emergency meeting that very Thursday. And then, silence. Our principal, Sally Feeney, disappeared that very day, leaving no explanation, no acknowledgment, no assurance to a staff body already on edge.

For five long nights, sleep eluded many of us as anxiety tightened its grip. What would the extraordinary meeting bring? Walking into the school hall, the answer hit like a gut punch. Not a personal address. Not a face-to-face conversation. But a cold Zoom call projected onto the assembly screen. Our colleagues from Gable Hall and Corringham Primary appeared remotely, bracing for the same blow.

The announcement came, blunt and brutal. Hundreds of us—teachers and support staff who have dedicated years, even decades, to this community—are being made redundant. Publicly. Via a video screen. And for what? Peter Hughes, CEO of Mossbourne, claims it's not the fault of the takeover but the grim reality of a £1.2 million balance.

Then, like a slap in the face, we're presented with the "Mossbourne model"—a vision that discards entire subjects, dismissing them as unworthy. When unions demand answers, Hughes offers reassurances but never shows up to provide them. Instead, he sends an HR representative who fumbles through questions they cannot answer. Promised face-to-face meetings? He does not attend. When he finally makes an appearance, it's Friday afternoon—while we're teaching, too occupied with the students we're apparently being forced to abandon.

Our unions tell us what we already know deep down: Hughes is clueless, unprepared, indifferent. And now, with the weight of this hanging over us, we face the Christmas period. How can we enjoy Christmas knowing January brings more uncertainty? Redeployment to lower-paid roles. Scrambling to apply for positions we don't want. Or worse, saying goodbye forever to a profession and a community we've poured our hearts into.

Adding insult to injury, the parents of our students—those we've fought hardest for—berate us online, lashing out for enforcing policies we didn't create, for a system we no longer control. And where does this leave us? Confused. Exhausted. Heartbroken. Publicly stripped of dignity by the very people meant to lead us.

We're not just losing jobs. We're losing our purpose. Our identity. Our connection to the students and colleagues who make this more than just a workplace.

The department for education (please tag feel free to tag them) need to rethink this take over. Please come and visit our schools. See for yourself that since Mossbourne's arrival, we've struggled without basic resources like paper for printing, where budgets have evaporated into deficits we can't explain. DFE come and speak to our students. Speak to our teachers and dig deep to save hundreds of outstanding teachers from losing their jobs and thousands of students from losing their subjects they love to learn.