Essex SEND staff may strike over unpaid special needs allowance
UNISON is urging the Lift Schools trust to address pay demands amid staffing concerns.
Support staff working with children with special educational needs (SEND) at three Essex schools may go on strike if their demands for additional pay are not met.
Teaching assistants, pastoral support workers, and other staff members at Columbus School & College in Chelmsford, Pioneer in Basildon, and Lift Clacton are calling for a special educational needs (SEN) allowance similar to the one received by SEN teachers, who currently earn up to £5,500 extra due to the complexity of their roles.
According to the union UNISON, discussions with Lift Schools multi-academy trust regarding an SEN allowance have stalled, leaving workers feeling "disrespected" and burnt out. The union has launched a petition to highlight staff frustration and has not ruled out strike action if negotiations are unsuccessful.
UNISON Eastern area organiser Bea Bartilucci said: “SEN support staff face the same additional challenges as SEN teachers but don’t get the recognition or pay to match it.
“Instead of talking to employees, Lift managers have left them on hold. Workers feel disrespected, and many are burnt out, with increasing numbers forced to look elsewhere for work. Lift needs to act or the quality of children’s education and care will suffer.”
The union claims that managers met with staff on 8th October 2025 and agreed to provide a response by the 17th October, but no progress has been made since. Staff hope their petition will push the academy trust to address their concerns and begin the process of securing the allowance.
A spokesperson for the Lift Schools trust said they value the work and dedication of all staff, particularly those working in challenging SEND environments.
They said: “We recognise the significant role our teaching assistants and pastoral staff play in supporting the complex needs of our young people within our special schools.
“Like the majority of academy trusts, we pay our staff in line with national pay and conditions, and we are subject to national pay negotiations. We respect the union’s position to request additional pay for their members and have been in discussions for a number of months.”
This dispute occurs just months after Columbus School & College, one of the affected schools, faced controversy following a damning Ofsted report.
The headteacher was sacked after inspectors raised safeguarding concerns during a May 2025 visit, highlighting vulnerabilities to harmful sexual behaviours and inadequate preparation for adulthood.
The school, located on Oliver Way in Chelmsford and serving 289 pupils with special education needs or disabilities, has been downgraded by Ofsted from "good" last year to "inadequate" or "requires improvement" in various areas.
The ongoing row over pay highlights broader issues facing the schools, with staff, unions, and management under pressure to address both educational standards and working conditions.