AIBU that some children are missing 7 school days due to strikes and others none

[jazzyfazzy766]

So today my childrens school was closed for strikes for the 7th day, not even partially open. My children have missed 7 full days of school since February. My nieces go to a school 2 miles up the road and they haven't missed one day as they have only closed classes of striking teachers and none of the teachers have striked for the full 7 days as they say it isn't fair on the children.

The local secondary has been closed as well apart to year 11's but the secondary in the next town has been open.

It just seems unfair that some children have missed over a weeks education whilst others haven't.

I understand why teachers are striking and if all schools closed and all children were treated fairly I would find it easier to accept but this just seems so unfair on some children having to miss out. Our school has cancelled 2 school trips as well which probably can't be rescheduled!!!

I found out today as well that in my kids school only a handful of teachers were striking but as teachers don't have to give much notice the Head decided it was better to close to all classes so parents could arrange childcare rather than give very little notice to parents on which classes were closing when the teachers had given their intentions.

If the next three back to back strike days go ahead that means my children will have missed 10 days of school and twice a week at the moment they need to be at school for 745am for catch up lessons because of covid!!

Makes me so cross that SOME children are suffering. It needs to be consistent across the board. This isn't our childrens fault and SOME are being penalised!

Do you accept that there are kids right now who don’t have teachers because there aren’t enough to go around?

Have you a link to this?
I am also thinking that teachers might accept 4% if it was funded and other provisions provided to make their jobs easier.

My sons school is at breaking point. Their fuel bill has increased 400% - that alone is eaten up by the so called increase in funding they were given. They are expected to cover the increase in teacher salaries alone, with no extra money provided by the Government. The general cost of everything they need to buy is increasing.

Their only option is to start cutting staff. No longer running extra curricular activities. The kids are the ones who will suffer.

The government NEED to listen. They can't keep ignoring the crisis happening at the moment. Missing 7 days of school will be minimal compared to what they will be facing.

Do you accept that there are kids right now who don’t have teachers because there aren’t enough to go around?

Not my experience in the private sector. And I don't see why there needs to be the same pay rise across the board in the state sector - I am fine with paying physics teachers more than primary school teachers for example.

FWIW I agree with you, my DD has luckily not been impacted at all (touch wood) but plenty of my friends' kids have been off.

Also, LOL at the posters complaining about the strikes being disruptive. What did you think the point of a strike was, exactly?

My youngest son was 'taught' by a TA for the entire of his year 5. An HLTA but a TA because they couldn't find a teacher for the class. His education suffered horrendously - but he was lucky as he doesn't have additional needs. The ones who do suffered even more. She wasn't trained to be a teacher or control a full class - and she couldn't.

Most teachers I know would happily accept 3.5% - if it was funded. This is what too many people seem to be missing. Schools are meant to find the money from some magical money tree which doesn't exist. Their payrise must be funded.

Yes, it's disruptive and shit for everyone. Blame the government and stop bloody voting Tory.

(I appreciate you might not vote Tory, but plenty do.)

I think it matters less than other absences as they aren't missing something the rest of the class have done. It's not even as bad as a few days off for a bad cold. If it's still going at Christmas that's more concerning.

@justteanbiscuits

A HLTA would have been a teacher with a cert ed in old money.
They are trained teachers under a different name.

No, an HLTA is not a qualified teacher. The school constantly apologised for them not having a teacher. The classes education was abysmal. HLTA's should work under direction from a teacher. They should not be full time teachers.

EarthlyNightshade
Have you a link to this?

Yes - Labour are consistently promising a lot with £1.7 billion - which is less than the government's funding boost:

Sept 2021
Keir Starmer vows thousands of new teachers under Labour in make-or-break speech.
Mr Starmer said private schools would pay £1.7billion a year in tax to fund a learning revolution for state-educated children under Labour.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/keir-starmer-vow-thousands-new-25094244

Dec 2022 - (after the government's Autumn statement);
Labour wants to strip the charitable status from private schools, which it says would raise £1.7billion to funnel into the state education system.
Shadow Schools Minister Stephen Morgan said: “By ending private schools tax breaks, Labour will fund thousands of new teachers, filling vacancies and ensuring every child is supported to thrive."
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/labour-private-school-fees-crackdown-28679129

We’re not talking about the private sector.

Do you accept that there are not enough teachers to go around all children, not just the ones with rich parents, and that the ones who are most likely to be affected by not having a teacher are in the state sector?

In the figures below funding looks lower under Labour though, so not sure it will help much

Well lucky you in the private sector.
And without good primary teaching, a physics teacher in secondary is a luxury.

Your anger is misplaced - aim it at the government ( who’s privately educated children aren’t affected) not teachers whom deserve fair pay and good working conditions.

School funding is being trumpeted by the Tories to return to 2010 levels by 2025.

The Tories have been funding schools at a lower per pupil level than the last Labour government for 13 years.

The two billion that Clav is raving about is what is required to bring it back to the level it was when they got into power.

Yes - Labour are consistently promising a lot with £1.7 billion - which is less than the government's funding boost:

But it would come on top of the promised two billion…

@jazzyfazzy766
in this world of equality
In the what?

But it would come on top of the promised two billion…

The government have promised an extra £2 billion (£2.3 billion if you include the health and social care levy refund) for 2 years - they will have to come up with a further commitment for their general election manifesto. In the Schools Week link, we are told that the extra money has been found 'from the government cutting its oversees aid spending'.

Labour seem to be promising the earth with £1.7 billion a year - they came up with the figure of £1.7 billion for 'a learning revolution' and 'thousands of new teachers' (plus teacher pay rises??) before the 'surprise' extra funding from the government. If £2 billion is not enough, then I can't see how £1.7 billion is.

So you agree that the schools budget will have already increased by £2 billion by the time the election rolls around and yet still won’t be at the level it was in 2010 when the Conservatives came into government?

And you think that Labour won’t have access to the further two billion promised….because there’s no money left?

Perhaps the Tories should get ready to write the next Chancellor a note.

noblegiraffe
The Tories have been funding schools at a lower per pupil level than the last Labour government for 13 years.

Steve Bundred - Labour MP and head of the Audit Commission 2010;
The looming public spending cuts will be more profound than any experienced in modern times, the head of the spending watchdog warned as he labelled political promises to protect schools and hospitals "insane".
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/jan/21/nhs-schools-cuts

Interesting article from the Guardian 2009;
It was a great moral victory. Then teachers lost the plot...
They demanded a 10% pay rise - on the grounds that bankers had done exceptionally well over the last few years, and now it was the teachers' turn to catch up.
What timing. What judgment. Here were militant employees with secure jobs and good pensions picking this particular moment in our economic history to demand less work for more money.
Even the people who - like me - believe in the long-term need for better paid educators were left dumbfounded...
...teachers once again looked like people who could be portrayed as whingeing professionals, out for themselves.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/apr/16/teachers-union-conference-sats

ah, ok.
I read this as additional money that would go into education not the only money to go into education.

EarthlyNightshade
ah, ok.
I read this as additional money that would go into education not the only money to go into education.

The government's funding is 'additional' as well;
17th November 2022
Hunt: Schools to get extra £4.6bn over 2 years.
Chancellor reveals surprise school funding uplift in his Autumn Statement today -
https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/autumn-statement-jeremy-hunt-school-funding

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/schools-in-england-to-benefit-from-major-funding-boost

Yes, it may be additional funding, but it’s been given because many schools were set to go bankrupt.

It’s not “extra money” in any sense, more “attempting to fill a black hole in school finances”.

And this why headteachers are now balloting for strike action. The government promised that money for schools last November (but not till Sept 2023), in order to fill those holes in budgets. The government is now saying that it’s not desperately needed funding but rather spare cash and is telling heads they will need to spend it on teacher pay instead of hiring support staff, fixing leaky roofs or buying much needed IT equipment or classroom supplies.

I also once again ask Clav if she accepts that there are not enough teachers to go around, so kids are being left without teachers and that this situation is getting worse?