Strike threat for St Aloysius over continued building concerns

Staff at St Aloysius RC College in Highgate have threatened further strike action this September over continuing problems with building work being carried out by contractors Balfour Beatty.

Teachers at the school protested last month at Islington Town Hall about the scheduled demolition of teaching Block B. According to the terms of a contract signed with Balfour Beatty under the Building Schools for the Future programme, the school faces fines of £70,000 a week if the scheduled demolition of the older block is delayed.

However, staff contest that the contractor is itself behind schedule with new building works, and that the new buildings completed to date are not fit for purpose. Teachers at the school staged a walkout in June in protest against the "inadequate" new buildings, and the National Union of Teachers has sanctioned four futther days of action at the start of next term if facilities remain inadequate.

An independent report made earlier this year highlighted particular problems in the new classrooms, which the contractor has agreed to amend. Earlier this week, campaigners were hoping a High Court injunction could halt the demolition of Block B and keep at least some portion of the old school structure available for teaching.

Image: R Sones