Teachers at Joan Roan School in Maze Hill have voted in favour of a two-day strike over the threat of academisation.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) were balloted after the school’s governing body set up a working group to consider adopting academy status.

The ballot comes after parents of John Roan pupils launched a campaign against academisation, and set up a petition which has received more than 1,000 signatures.

The NUT has argued converting to a multi-academy trust would go against the interests of the school and the local community.

Tim Woodcock, divisional secretary for Greenwich NUT, said: “There is no educational evidence that becoming an academy is better for the children of John Roan and beyond and the only reason that schools are considering this move is because they believe they are being bullied by the Government.

“Our children are too important to be subject to a politically motivated agenda.”

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Several primary schools in the borough are also considering becoming academies.

Jason Holdway, 50, a parent to two John Roan pupils, said: “We should be able to have the choice to send our children to a good local school, democratically accountable to the community that starts with what our children need rather than what predatory academies have their eyes on.

“I’ll make it clear to them that they are not having our school.”

The NUT said members will suspend strike action if the governing body issues a clear statement that they will not seek an academy and move towards academisation.

Greenwich NUT is also seeking a commitment that they will agree to a binding parental ballot before they take any decision – something parents have been campaigning for.

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Mr Woodcock added: “Teachers don't take strike action lightly and we hope the governing body will state unequivocally they do not intend to academise the school.

“Surely they must recognise that the John Roan school community has spoken and they should abandon their plans immediately.”

In a letter to parents the chair of the John Roan governing body Patrick Cooper, wrote: "We have been told that NUT teachers at The John Roan are to “commence discontinuous strike action with strike action on Tuesday 15 March 2016 and Wednesday 16 March 2016.”

"We have been told that they are taking this action in order to “protest against the proposed transfer of…employment to a new employer”.

"Our surprise arises because there has been no proposed transfer of any kind.

"We notified NUT central office of this before balloting had finished, but they continued the process through to a decision to go on strike anyway. We are at a loss as to why this would be."

He said the school doesn't have the resources to apply for a High Court injunction to prevent the strike from happening.

Mr Cooper wrote: "We will continue our efforts to find a way to prevent this unfounded disruption to the running of the school.

"We regret the inconvenience that this strike action will cause, both to you and especially to your children’s education."