Members of the National Education Union have voted overwhelmingly (98%) to reject the Government pay and conditions offer and will continue their industrial action with one day strikes on Thursday the 27th April and Tuesday the 2nd of May.
For the 27th, we would anticipate school being closed to the following classes:
Nursery (Blossoms)
1 Palm
1 Chestnut
2 Sycamore
2 Willow
4 Ash
4 Poplar
6 Beech* Note update 18.04.23. School will no longer be closed to 6 Beech. We would like to express our thanks to the NEU member of staff concerned who has agreed for a colleague to be allowed to cover, given the close proximity of SATs.
As ever, we apologise for any inconvenience caused to families as a result of this. Staff taking action are doing so because they believe it is the right thing to do to protect the future of education and is in the best long-term interests for young people.
The other main union to which our teachers belong, the NASUWT, are due to re-ballot soon and an indicative survey shows strong support for rejecting the offer (97%) and for strike action (77%).
The National Association of Headteachers, a very, very moderate union, have recently committed to re-ballot on the pay offer with 90% rejecting it in a preliminary survey. A ballot on industrial action by Heads will follow and it looks likely that this union will also opt for strike action in the near future. The NAHT line is to support their NEU colleagues in rejecting the pay offer, largely on the grounds that it is unfunded. One of the demands not yet met is that school budgets are increased to cover pay rises. At present, this is not part of the offer. Here, we have calculated that accepting the offer would leave the school approximately £60,000 per worse off this year and again next, which would in all likelihood lead to a reduction in support staff and consequently less support for children who need it. Heads are also concerned at the increasing difficulties of recruiting to the teaching profession and then retaining teachers.