NEU Teacher Strike Action 3

26th April 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

As you are aware, the NEU conducted a ballot on national strike action regarding pay in school and colleges. The next national strike action is proposed to take place on the following dates:

Thursday 27th April
Tuesday 2nd May

This is not industrial action against the School, it is as part of national action and is because the NEU states it has a Trade Dispute “with the Secretary of State for Education as a result of the failure to give an undertaking to make available additional and sufficient funds to allow employers to pay a fully funded increase in the pay of teachers at a rate greater than inflation”.

The next proposed strike days are Thursday 27th April and Tuesday 2nd May. As most of our teachers are in the NEU, there may be some disruption to teaching. As part of this industrial action, teachers have protected rights and do not need to tell us whether they will be on strike and absent on the above dates. Just because your child’s class is open, does not mean their teacher will be in school. Many of our support staff have children in local schools that are fully closed which affects us too. 

The school is committed to our pupils’ health, safety and wellbeing so, after considering all the risks and the impact of staff absence, we have implemented a contingency plan.

Although the School will remain open on both these days for all staff who can come into work, due to the potential high rate of staff absence there will be some classes closed on each of the two strike days.

For the classes that are open next Thursday and Tuesday, we will ensure adequate arrangements are made for supervision but our usual pupil: staff ratios may be exceeded. We may not be able to deliver the full curriculum but activities will continue in the classrooms. As next Thursday and Tuesday will look different than usual, if you choose to keep your child or young person home, please tell your Class Teacher beforehand.

If we experience an exceptionally high level of both teacher and support staff absence next Thursday and Tuesday morning, which unfortunately we cannot predict in advance, we will regretfully need to close additional classes. In this instance, you will be contacted with a request to collect your child asap. It is our full intention however, to keep the named classes open. We will inform School Transport regarding the classes that will be open and closed.

Classes will be open and closed as follows:

Teacher Thursday 27th April Tuesday 2nd May
Grace / Vicky Closed Open
Amy Closed Open
Donna Closed Closed
Tracy Closed Closed
Helen Open Closed
Keth Closed Open
Hannah / Jess Closed Open
Beccy Open Closed
Gemma M Open Closed
Gemma H Closed Closed
Niki Closed Open
Andy Open Open
Emily Open Closed
Andrew Closed Open

 

If you are affected by one of the planned closed classes next week, I am sorry your child or young person’s education is being disrupted and that you need to make alternative arrangements during the day. I understand it is frustrating and ask that our school community continues to treat each other with respect. We remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our pupils and delivering high-quality teaching where possible.

Further details about FSM will be provided to relevant families.

Please be assured these decisions have not been made lightly. We sincerely hope there is a resolution soon between the Government and the NEU.

Yours sincerely

Sarah Pickering
Headteacher