Teachers at a city grammar are considering strike action over the school’s controversial plans to convert to an academy.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) – Britain’s largest teachers’ union – confirms its members at Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School have formally requested a ballot.

Beleaguered head teacher Jane Robinson has faced a furious backlash from parents who fear the proposal is a done deal.

Last week dozens of pupils staged a classroom walkout, causing considerable embarrassment for the head.

Her reputation has suffered a fresh bruising this week with Kent County Council leader Paul Carter describing her stance as “untenable”.

And in a latest blow to the academy plan, NUT regional director Nick Childs confirms its Langton members have requested a “formal strike ballot, without delay”.

“We believe the governing body may have exceeded their legal remit and may have breached their statutory and common law duties,” he said.

“We believe the head teacher has exceeded her role as senior officer of Kent County Council by actively pursuing a particular political course....in which she has a conflict of interest.”

Governors voted in November last year to form a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) and to sponsor struggling Spires Academy within the trust.

Among governors who took part in both votes was Rob Sellers, an audit and assurance senior manager at Kreston Reeves accountancy firm in Canterbury – which does the auditing for Spires Academy.

It is also known that Spires Trustee Hugh Robinson is husband of Mrs Robinson, the Girls’ Langton head.

Mrs Robinson is also executive principal of Spires. She and fellow Langton governor Lady Lisa Laws – also a Spires trustee – withdrew from the second round academy vote in November.

Last week we reported how KCC was investigating the voting procedure at the governors’ own request.

A spokesman said: “KCC has completed its investigation and will be sharing its findings with the head teacher and governors in the next few days.”

But county council chief Mr Carter has also written to a number of Langton parents who have voiced concern to him.

Mr Carter says in his letter: “I am extremely concerned about the range of complaints I have received from parents, staff and governors about how the proposal has developed and the way the decision was made and consulted on with the wider school community.

“I have already instructed my officers to write to the chair of governors and head teacher to set out our very serious concerns and strongly advise them how, in our view, they must address the current untenable position they find themselves in.”

In his letter, Mr Carter also hints that further action may be considered.

He says: “Please rest assured that I will not let matters rest until the current situation is addressed and all interested parties are as satisfied as they can be that a transparent process has been followed and that the views of the parents and local community have been heard and acted upon.”

According to the NUT, 73% of Girls’ Langton teachers have signed a petition opposing conversion.

Rumours that the petition included a show of no confidence in the head appear unfounded.

Chair of governors, Dr Ash Rehal, said: “The petition does not indicate a show of no confidence in the leadership.

“Whether or not to become an academy is a governing body decision, yet to be taken, and this petition forms part of the formal consultation process.”

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