To be really worried about proposed teacher strikes.

[katedan]

In England not Scotland for context. My twin daughters are year 11 and I am terrified about the impact of teacher strikes on their GCSEs. They have not yet covered the curriculum and every day counts to get them exam ready so strike days will be disastrous for year 11 and 13 pupils ( and lots of other children especially those who are vulnerable) these kids have had their education impacted by covid and now strikes. This will make the divide between state and private schools even bigger. Do you think they will go ahead or if a safety net will be put around exam years if it does.

I find the "just go and work in ASDA" comments insulting to the ones who work there.

@RockingMyFiftiesNot If she's in the NEU, she definitely shouldn't cover even if she chooses not to strike.
Teachers won't be leaving work.

Not in my class it won't.
We'll be on strike. We are withdrawing our labour, not saving up extra for tomorrow.

Terrified, really?

My DS had to sit his after missing a full year due to COVID, striking for a few days is nothing

I fully support the teachers

I won’t be setting extra work. I’m withdrawing my labour. I’m not being paid to set extra work and then mark it.

Nope, the strike is a withdraw of labour. They won't be setting work for the day or marking anything after.

As a parent of a Y11 child, I absolutely support the strikes. Seems either teachers either strike and get improved conditions or many of them will leave. I also have a Y7 child and I'd like there to be properly-paid staff in properly resourced schools in place to teach them in year 11. My year 11 can do some revision instead on strike days. Of the dates announced so far, four will affect them.

@reluctantbrit "I do assume that the homework set after the lesson befor the strike will suddenly double and it due the next lesson after the strike."

Why on earth would you assume that?

NEU is open to all school staff, not just teachers. A number of support staff have said that although they support the strike they are unable to strike as they can’t afford to miss a day’s pay.

Support staff in England who are members of the NEU did not meet the ballot threshold and therefore will not be going on strike.

Support staff in Wales in the NEU did meet the threshold and will be taking strike action.

I can only think social workers aren’t in strike due to having a crap union.

There isn’t a particular union for social workers, so ballots include different workers all at a similar grade/band which makes it difficult to organise strike action in one particular area of work. I think if there was a single profession equivalent social workers would have been out before teachers.

People with good maths and science degrees will not generally be considering teaching as a first choice of career,

OP, give over, you're not concerned about these kids.

If you were you should have been concerned about the chronic underfunding of schools for the last decade, which has negatively impacted these types of kids more than any others. Like the decrease in funding closing breakfast clubs which used to ensure these kids had a good breakfast. The lack of funding for these kids to partake in after school clubs. The fact that educational budgets are so limited the first roles to be cut are those that provided extra pastoral and social and emotional support for kids like this. Or the fact that a lot of schools can't afford to fund full time TA's to help ensure these kids have adequate support. Nor can schools afford to pay intervention staff to help close the attainment gap between these children and their peers.

These children have been disproportionately affected for over ten years, but now you care about these 4 days?

Would not the lack of teaching during the early months of covid due to no availability of IT etc have more impact on years 11 and 13 rather than a few days of strikes.

I have children in year 11 and 13 and this is my greater concern personally

This! 👏 👏 👏

People with good maths and science degrees will not generally be considering teaching as a first choice of career

that’s one of the most ignorant things I have ever read,

It's 4 days, max.

Great time for revision!!

I think she's at a level where she is allowed to cover for short term absence?

There is no ‘level’. Heads can use whoever they want to cover teacher absence and are often forced to use the cheapest of staff to do this due to their budget.

Having a qualified teacher in each class should be a bare minimum requirement.

Sadly probably not these days, even with golden hellos, but it didn’t used to be the case. We need to be asking why other countries are able to attract enthusiastic, well qualified people into teaching subjects that in the UK are almost impossible to recruit for.

I think there was evidence during the pandemic of this which i can completely understand. Im not sure 2 days will have the same impact. I think they should strike and surely children who are on their radar will be safeguarded somewhat, they were in the pandemic. Although i appreciate its not easy. Unfortunately there will always be some negative outcomes but if they dont strike education will continue to struggle and also have far reaching impacts.
I know there is a youth group who were offering extra sessions for play and food near me during the pandemic, not sure if they might do the same during the strike.

I have to admit I didn’t read that in the same way I think you did. I just interpreted it as a factual statement - maths and science graduates do tend to be highly sought and many choose easier (and better paid!) jobs than teachers.

I have a good science degree.

Lasted in teaching for 4 years.

The workload is in no way worth the money.

I miss the kids but if you have a good degree, don't even bother. You will be better paid, better treated and work a lot less hours elsewhere.

People with good maths and science degrees will not generally be considering teaching as a first choice of career

Is this really what we want for our children?

@piggywaspushed Probation staff.

DfE update:

The National Education Union (NEU) has today announced that its ballot of teacher members in England has met the thresholds required to commence industrial action. The ballot of support staff members in England failed to achieve the 50% turnout required by law.
The NEU has announced national and regional action in England on the following dates:
• Wednesday 1 February 2023: all eligible members in England and Wales.
• Tuesday 28 February 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: Northern, North West, Yorkshire & The Humber.
• Wednesday 1 March 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: East Midlands, West Midlands, Eastern.
• Thursday 2 March 2023: all eligible members in the following English regions: London, South East, South West.
• Wednesday 15 March 2023: all eligible members in England and Wales.
• Thursday 16 March 2023: all eligible members in England and Wales.
Should the NEU decide to proceed with industrial action, they must give employers at least 2 weeks’ notice.

I know it varies depending on where you work but I presume a teacher who has been in the profession for a while is on around 24/25 k?