Categories: News
Posted on 20 Jan 23 by

19 January 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

As you may be aware from the national news coverage, one of the main teachers’ unions, the NEU, has called a national teachers strike for Wednesday 1 February 2023.

From information previously provided by the unions, I am aware that I have a majority of staff who are members of the main union taking strike action.

This call to strike places me in a difficult position for the following reasons:

• I am not legally allowed to know which members of my staff are members of the unions or whether they intend to follow their unions instructions and strike on 1 February
• Without knowing which teachers will be absent from work on that day, it is impossible to plan an effective response which will guarantee that the school can stay open as normal
• I am not allowed to ask non-striking teachers to cover classes for those staff who are out on strike

At present, I therefore have to consider two options –
1. That a significant number of teachers will join the strike and I will have to close the school to students for the day
2. That we will have to effect a partial closure, only opening the school to some students

I am speaking to all of my teachers to ask them whether they could indicate their intentions, but since I have no legal right to demand to know who intends striking, I must consider all options at this stage.

In order that the strike causes as little disruption for your family as possible, I would suggest that you plan for the worst and start making arrangements for your child to be away from school on Wednesday 1 February 2023. I hope to be in a position to make a final decision regarding a full or partial closure by Friday 27 January 2023, at which point I will write to you again.

Many thanks for your continued support,

Yvonne Watkins
Head teacher

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