Teachers in England and Wales are staging the first of seven planned walk-outs today (February 1) in a dispute over pay. Some schools in the Bristol area are closed as a result and a rally will be held in the city centre as part of a national day of action to protect the right to strike.
The actions come after members of the National Education Union (NEU) voted to strike following a lack of progress during last-ditch talks with the government. Union leaders said Education Secretary Gillian Keegan squandered the opportunity to avert the strike action. The Department for Education guidance said headteachers are expected to take all reasonable steps to keep schools open for as many pupils as possible”.
More than 23,000 schools could be affected in England and Wales and while Wednesday’s action will go ahead, it's reported that more talks are set to take place before further strikes on February 28 in hopes the government will have a solution to meet teachers’ demands.
READ MORE: When are teachers striking in Bristol? Full list of strike dates as seven days of walkouts planned
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Strike action is highly damaging to children’s education, particularly following the disruption that children have experienced over the past two years. We have been clear we want to support school leaders to do everything they can to keep as many children in school as possible."
A spokesperson for Bristol City council said: “On Wednesday 1 February, schools in England and Wales will be affected by strike action. Schools will be making their own arrangements for the strike and if you are unsure of what these are, you should contact your child’s school directly for more information.
"If you receive free school meals, have a vulnerable child or are a critical worker, please contact your school directly about this too. Unless school leaders inform you that the school is closed or cannot provide a place, then you still have a legal duty to send your children to school unless they are unwell.
"The next strike action affecting our region is planned for Thursday 2 March with further national strikes planned for later that month.”
Teachers in Bristol will be striking on February 1, March 2, March 15 and March 16 - four days in total. School closures are listed below with information from council websites, which rely on schools notifying the council - if you are aware of a school closure that is not on this list please contact shashana.brown@reachplc.com so it can be added.
Here is a list of confirmed school closures on February 1
Bristol
(These are the schools that have been confirmed to be closed by Bristol City Council's school closures list)
For a full updated list - click here
Ashton Gate Primary School (KS1) (Partially closed)
Bristol Cathedral Choir School (Partially closed)
Cathedral Primary School (Partially closed)
Claremont School
Holymead Primary School
Kingsweston School
Nova Primary School
Orchard School (Partially closed)
Sea Mills Primary School
Ss. Peter & Paul R.C. Primary School
St John's C.E. V.C. Primary School - Clifton (Partially closed)
Upper Horfield Community School (Partially closed)
North Somerset:
- Almost every school in North Somerset has made the local authority aware that they are impacted by the strikes and will still take their most vulnerable children.
- A small number of schools in North Somerset are unaffected and will open completely, whereas others have reduced the number of classes available.
- Some schools in North Somerset are affected not by their own staff striking but because the staff’s own children are affected by strike action in the schools that they attend
- All schools in North Somerset should have notified parents and carers about the arrangements for their children, but if parents and carers are at all uncertain, they should contact their children’s school to confirm.
South Gloucestershire:
Wheatfield Community Primary School - closed
St Michael's C of E VC Primary School Winterbourne - All classes open except for Year 2
Sir Bernard Lovell Academy - Open for Year 11, P16 and vulnerable students only
Trinity C of E VC Primary School - Due to industrial action pupils in Willow Class, Elm Class and Oak Class should remain at home; pupils in Ash Class and Beech Class should attend as normal.
Elm Park Community Primary School - Due to NEU strike action, Reception, Year 1 and Year 5 are closed all day. Year 6 are closed until afternoon registration. All other year groups are open.
Further strike dates are as follows:
- Tuesday, February 14, 2023: All eligible members in Wales
- Tuesday, February 28, 2023: All eligible members in the following English regions - Northern, North West, Yorkshire & The Humber
- Wednesday, March 1, 2023: All eligible members in the following English regions - East Midlands, West Midlands, Eastern
- Thursday, March 2, 2023: All eligible members in the following regions - London, South East, South West
- Wednesday, March 15, 2023: All eligible members in England in Wales
- Thursday, March 16, 2023: All eligible members in England and Wales
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