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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if schools will close on 1st Feb?

354 replies

cosied · 17/01/2023 14:36

National teachers strike on 1st Feb so does that mean the schools are not open that day?

Has anyone received any communication from their schools relating to what impact the strikes may have?

OP posts:
MissRainbowBrite · 17/01/2023 19:59

@DelphiniumBlue that's a great plan until you factor in how those support staff that are LSA's who all usually have children with EHCP's to look after also take care of a class full of children 🤯

JanglyBeads · 17/01/2023 20:00

Woeman · 17/01/2023 19:58

There's not too many teachers in that union. Schools might have to collapse some year groups. The problem will be if the other unions strike.

NEU is the largest union I believe

noblegiraffe · 17/01/2023 20:00

I have had nothing from DS school about it yet.

That'll be because the strikes were announced at 5pm last night, along with 20 pages of DfE guidance.

5hj56 · 17/01/2023 20:00

Coffeellama · 17/01/2023 19:57

Not going to work is disruptive though, refusing to say either way is just disruptive to the children. Hopefully not many do that.

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Not going to work and that having to be dealt with with no notice is more disruptive.

Hopefully, and most probably, as it's union advice, all members will exercise their right not to inform the HT in advance.

MrsHamlet · 17/01/2023 20:00

Coffeellama · 17/01/2023 19:57

Not going to work is disruptive though, refusing to say either way is just disruptive to the children. Hopefully not many do that.

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That's the point.
I will be reminding my members that they are not obliged to state their intentions.

watchfulwishes · 17/01/2023 20:00

Coffeellama · 17/01/2023 19:57

Not going to work is disruptive though, refusing to say either way is just disruptive to the children. Hopefully not many do that.

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The children will be fine, and would be far better off if the government is forced to respond properly to teachers' reasonable demands. You don't care about kids if you don't care about teachers.

SpringIntoChaos · 17/01/2023 20:00

PuttingDownRoots · 17/01/2023 19:49

We had a letter from the school saying they had no information yet as they have to clarify each teachers intentions then work out ratios etc.

Teachers are under absolutely no obligation to inform their schools of their intention to strike or not. It rather negates the whole intention and impact of a strike, if workplaces are told in advance and are then able to get cover. Surely the point of a strike is to create as big of an impact as possible, to ensure their voices are heard, and to make people realise that without them, and their goodwill, a business will be in difficulty 🤷‍♀️ It's a 'bargaining tool' - by telling your boss in advance that you'll not be in work, this defeats the object and you've nothing left to bargain with!

I hope non-NEU teachers and HLTAs realise that they CAN and SHOULD refuse to cover a striking teacher! We are striking for their benefit too! Just because their unions and members didn't get enough ballots, doesn't mean that they won't benefit from any negotiations.

MrsHamlet · 17/01/2023 20:01

I quite fancy having a go at driving a train though...

ofwarren · 17/01/2023 20:01

If they end up joining classes together or watching TV in the hall, I'm not sending my ASD son in. He wont be able to cope with that at all. He's bad enough when it's a substitute teacher.

Lulu1919 · 17/01/2023 20:01

Some TAs are in that union too...

Coasterfan · 17/01/2023 20:01

@noblegiraffe i m off my face in hospital on super strong painkillers, the days all merge into one 😂😂 (still checked my email for school strike info though)

Workyticket · 17/01/2023 20:02

Woeman · 17/01/2023 19:58

There's not too many teachers in that union. Schools might have to collapse some year groups. The problem will be if the other unions strike.

Lots of teachers are moving across from NASUWT to NEU actually according to various groups I'm in

Perfect28 · 17/01/2023 20:03

I'm not sure they will have any choice. In secondary you can't simply shut certain classes. The head will never actually know the situation until the day.

Woeman · 17/01/2023 20:03

NEU is the largest union I believe

Just not at my school then.

Coffeellama · 17/01/2023 20:04

watchfulwishes · 17/01/2023 20:00

The children will be fine, and would be far better off if the government is forced to respond properly to teachers' reasonable demands. You don't care about kids if you don't care about teachers.

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I have several teachers in my family, who are choosing not to strike. I do care about teachers and support the strike, but I care about my children and so pupil safety on strike days is important to me. You can spew whatever crap you like about me not caring about my children, I’m entitled to my opinion and you are entitled to yours.

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 17/01/2023 20:04

I absolutely support the teachers striking but as a parent of a child with SEND who will struggle with a last minute change id like to think if his teacher is striking she will inform the head so i can just keep him off rather than turn up and discover they are in the hall or in another class.

PurpleFlower1983 · 17/01/2023 20:06

Woeman · 17/01/2023 19:58

There's not too many teachers in that union. Schools might have to collapse some year groups. The problem will be if the other unions strike.

The NEU is the biggest education union, it has 450000 members…

B1993 · 17/01/2023 20:06

As a teacher, I can say that a good proportion of our school staff will be striking. School closures may be forced to close but this is the point - to cause disruption.

You do not have declare if you will be striking in advance and the head is not allowed to ask members of staff (our SLT confirmed this today). Teachers can choose to declare in advance but this wouldn't have the same impact.

ofwarren · 17/01/2023 20:06

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 17/01/2023 20:04

I absolutely support the teachers striking but as a parent of a child with SEND who will struggle with a last minute change id like to think if his teacher is striking she will inform the head so i can just keep him off rather than turn up and discover they are in the hall or in another class.

Oh gosh yeah, I'd never thought of that. If the head doesn't know, then we won't know if to keep our SEN kids off or not.
I'd end up just taking my DS home again if I turned up to that situation.

Loafbeginsat60 · 17/01/2023 20:06

Ours are closed in Scotland on 31st Jan for EIS strikes then two days in Feb

echt · 17/01/2023 20:07

Coffeellama · 17/01/2023 20:04

I have several teachers in my family, who are choosing not to strike. I do care about teachers and support the strike, but I care about my children and so pupil safety on strike days is important to me. You can spew whatever crap you like about me not caring about my children, I’m entitled to my opinion and you are entitled to yours.

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If, as you say, you support the strike, but can't be arsed strikingyou can always donate your day's pay to the NEU hardship fund.

Coffeellama · 17/01/2023 20:09

echt · 17/01/2023 20:07

If, as you say, you support the strike, but can't be arsed strikingyou can always donate your day's pay to the NEU hardship fund.

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I’m not a teacher, and I don’t work in education. I earn less than teachers and my industry isn’t striking, so it’s not an option for me, so no i cannot donate my pay.

StubbleAndSqueak · 17/01/2023 20:09

Coffeellama · 17/01/2023 19:57

Not going to work is disruptive though, refusing to say either way is just disruptive to the children. Hopefully not many do that.

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Why? The more disruption and inconvenience caused brings attention to it
Schools and other services are sick of all the good will they are expected to give
You need to look at the bigger picture here

MrsHamlet · 17/01/2023 20:10

Pupil safety on strike days is why some schools will have to close.

PumpkinSoup21 · 17/01/2023 20:11

Thank you everyone. I assumed this would be the case, support the strikes and support staff reserving the right to not indicate their intention to strike. I just wondered how it worked.