Many schools shut as teachers strike again

Many schools in England were either fully closed or had reduced the number of classes on Wednesday as teachers resumed their long-running pay dispute with the government.

Teaching members of the National Education Union (NEU) returned to the picket lines outside schools and colleges while a number of rallies are being held due to what members say is the government’s “running down” of education.

A further strike is planned on Friday, while Wednesday marked the seventh day individual schools in England have faced walkouts by NEU members since February.

Union leaders have warned that schools could face coordinated strike action by education unions in the autumn term if a deal over pay cannot be reached.

There are fears that pupils could miss out on end-of-year activities – including concerts, trips, sports days and opportunities to meet new classmates – during the strikes at schools and sixth-form colleges this week.

Striking teachers are marching in Westminster today and taking part in a rally in Parliament Square.

Speaking from a picket line outside Regent High School in London, NEU general secretary-elect Daniel Kebede said teachers are taking up second jobs amid the cost of living crisis.

He added: “I’m certain [if other] education unions would like strike ballots in the autumn term there will be coordinated action.”

The NEU – alongside the NASUWT teaching union, the NAHT school leaders’ union and the Association of School and College Leaders – are balloting their members in England to take action in the new school year.

The government offered teachers a £1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and an average 4.5% rise for staff next year after intensive talks with the education unions in March.

But all four education unions involved in the dispute rejected the offer and the decision on teachers’ pay in England for next year has been passed to the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB).

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Education union leaders have called on Education Secretary Gillian Keegan to urgently publish the STRB’s recommendation as they warned the hold-up is causing “anxiety” in schools and “frustrating headteachers”.

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “Teachers do not want to strike. They want to be doing what they do best – teaching and supporting their pupils.

“However, the disruption to children and young people’s education occurs daily due to the running down of our education service by government. This cannot go on.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: “Any strike action is hugely damaging. We have made a fair and reasonable pay offer to teachers, recognising their incredible work and commitment.

“Thousands of schools received significant additional funding as part of the extra £2 billion of investment we are providing both this year and next.

“As a result, school funding will be at its highest level in history next year, as measured by the IFS (Institute for Fiscal Studies).”

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