Maths move doesn’t add up says union

A TEACHERS’ Union claims Oldham Council is axing its own team of maths specialists only to hire private contractors to teach the subject.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) is furious that workers are facing the axe to save money but thousands of pounds are then paid to a recruitment agency.

However, council chiefs say Government funding for their three maths specialists comes to an end on March 31 but their plans will boost struggling pupils who they hope will become future maths teachers.

The union says that Oldham Council has hired a number of maths experts with at least one from Tribal recruitment and consultancy.

The union claims it has cost around £21,000 this financial year with another £9,600 to be paid over the next two years. But as part of £25 million of cuts, Oldham is to axe its own central team of three maths specialists in April.

Oldham NUT branch secretary Tony Harrison said: “It is a disgrace and an insult to the workers concerned, that when the council is cutting £25 million and 800 workers face the dole queue that the council finds the cash for private consultants from outside of Oldham.

“Our taxpayers pay twice, once to the worker and then again to Tribal taking a top slice. Last year Tribal had a turnover of £250 million. I would like to know how much of that came from Oldham Council?

“We fear that Tribal is being lined up to take over more local authority work at the same time as the council is preparing to decimate its own workforce.

“We have to ask where is the accountability to the people of Oldham by contracting work out to private companies? And what is the true cost when hundreds of Oldham workers and their families face the misery of redundancy?

Councillor Jack Hulme, cabinet member for children and families, said: “Following a review of attainment last year it was found that a significant number of pupils in Oldham were not making all the progress that they might in mathematics.

“Schools work very hard with their children to inspire and support maths learning and the School Improvement Service works alongside to ensure that all children receive the very best maths education. This includes supporting them with a number of experienced consultants at both primary and secondary level.

“However, our teams are at capacity with the current work they do and Tribal has been commissioned to support schools to develop a maths strategy for the future.

“The company is to receive £21,000 from this year’s budget, brought about by the savings from vacant posts within the service, which the council attempted to fill.

“The work will involve 24 schools and colleges from across the borough.”