Several teachers in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge are set to go on strike on Wednesday (February 1st) during a nationwide protest against the Government over pay.
The biggest teachers’ strike in years will go ahead across the UK after unions said the education secretary “squandered the opportunity” to avoid action.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) in England and Wales will walk out on Wednesday, with more industrial action planned in the following weeks.
Several schools in the Burnham-On-Sea area look set to be affected by the strike action by teachers, including King Alfred School Academy in Highbridge where some pupils will work from home.
The natinwide strike comes after last-minute talks were held by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan on Monday in a bid to resolve the pay dispute before planned strikes this week.
The NEU has announced seven days of strikes in England and Wales in February and March, with the walkout on Wednesday expected to affect over 23,000 schools.
Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said: “Gillian Keegan has squandered an opportunity to avoid strike action on Wednesday. The government has been unwilling to seriously engage with the causes of strike action. Real-terms pay cuts and cuts in pay relativities are leading to a recruitment and retention crisis with which the education secretary so far seems incapable of getting a grip.”
King Alfred School Academy in Highbridge
In a letter to parents, the school says pupils in Years 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 will have to remain home for the day.
Years 7 and 13 will be invited into school for the day during normal hours. Also, some vulnerable students from all year groups will also be invited to attend school that day.
A King Alfred School Academy spokesperson says: “I am sorry that you will have to make alternative arrangements for your child at short notice and that they will experience disruption to their education. I understand that this situation may be frustrating, and ask that all members of our school community continue to treat each other with respect. TKASA remains committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our students and delivering high-quality teaching.”
