Teachers in schools in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge joined picket lines for the fourth day of national strike action on Thursday (April 27th) – and more action is planned for Tuesday (May 2nd).
Teachers at King Alfred School Academy, Churchfield, St Joseph’s and Burnham Infant School joined the strike action.
Staff at King Alfred School Academy and St Joseph’s are pictured here on their picket lines on Tuesday.
The National Education Union (NEU) said it regretted any disruption, and put measures in place to make sure exam students and vulnerable pupils were able to attend school.
It was the latest day of action this year to call on the Government to provide improved funding for schools and better pay.
Members of the union are also planning to strike on Tuesday 2nd May.
Hannah Packham, South West Regional Secretary for the National Education Union said: “Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education, is failing to address the multiple problems damaging our children’s education around teacher recruitment and retention problems, and inadequate school funding.”
“Her response has been to deny the way the wind is blowing. She is refusing to return to the negotiating table. It is this inaction, this silence which has left NEU teacher members in England’s schools and sixth form colleges to reluctantly take two more days of national strike action in the coming days.”
“The NEU regrets any disruption to education, and has put in place measures to ensure GCSE and A level students have a full program on those days, but what parents know is the disruption to education on a daily basis.”
The NEU, along with three other teaching unions, has rejected an offer which included a £1,000 one-off payment and a 4.3% pay rise for most staff in September. The starting salary for teachers in England is also due to rise to £30,000 a year by September.
The government said the decision on how much to pay teachers will now be made by the pay review body, which previously recommended a 3% rise from September.
Teachers’ pay has dropped by 11% between 2010 and 2022, after taking inflation into account, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Unions want an above inflation pay rise that does not come from schools’ existing budgets. Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats want to see negotiations start again.
A Department for Education official said school funding would be at its highest level in history next year “thanks to the further £2bn pounds we are investing in our schools”.
The NEU is expected to announce three more strikes during the summer term, and two of the other unions are currently balloting their members on strike action.
