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!

noblegiraffe
The government promised that money for schools last November (but not till Sept 2023)

My second link says the first payments are being made by the 10th of May.

I also once again ask Clav if she accepts that there are not enough teachers to go around

Not from my own experience, but I've obviously read that there are not enough physics teachers, for example, yes - I have already posted that I don't mind if physics teachers are paid more than primary school teachers.

I didn’t ask from your own experience.

So, why do you think the government are only projected to meet 47% of the required number of secondary trainees this year? As they are only projected to meet targets in only three secondary subjects and not in primary, given that you agree physics teachers should be paid more as there is a shortage, do you also agree that the rest should be paid more as there is a shortage?

Tell me you earn under £35k without telling me you earn under £35k.

Don’t worry the teachers are planning on all unions to join forces including headteachers and SLT moving forward meaning more if not all schools are going to be closing in general for the next set of strikes….unless a deal is sorted

I didn’t ask from your own experience

That's the only experience I have - and if Labour force private schools to pay VAT then there might be a fair few teachers without jobs.

given that you agree physics teachers should be paid more as there is a shortage, do you also agree that the rest should be paid more as there is a shortage?

Teachers have been offered a fair pay rise already (in my opinion/in the current economic climate) - I don't want to award teachers who are underperforming, or those with 'low value' degrees a much bigger pay rise, no. I would be more selective.

I've had 1 DC miss every strike day and 1 DC in every strike day, I don't think it has made any educational difference from their perspective, that I can see. Older DC has enjoyed their days off and younger has been a bit put out.

Tricker for working parents, obviously. I actually think it is positive from a learning perspective to have a few mid week, mid term breaks.

Yeah, you're right. Primary teachers aren't important. Kids don't need to be taught to read, write and understand different aspects of Mathematics until they're 11.

Only secondary teaching is important enough for a payrise.

Your understanding has shone a light for me on my own illusions of grandeur that my teaching actually makes a difference in pupils' lives.

I'm off to earn more in a different, more flexible job. Watch to see how many applicants they get to fill my position on less pay than our secondary colleagues...

Omg you don't actually have a clue what you're talking about, do you? You have no idea that there is a critical shortage of teachers because you only know about the private sector where wealth buys privilege. That explains an awful lot. For a start you need to stop wittering about 'low value degrees' - beggars really can't be choosers.

Here's a video you need to watch explaining the situation in teacher recruitment and retention https://twitter.com/channel4news/status/1653476583628259346?s=61&t=U9XrcF693-JpMxeIueYG7g I've put some handy graphs below.

Now, having discovered that there is a massive issue with both retaining and recruiting teachers in the state sector, here's a new question.

Forget about whether you think the pay rise is fair in the current economic climate, put your Tory hat on which understands market forces when it comes to things like whether bankers should be allowed massive bonuses:

Given the recruitment and retention situation in teaching - is the pay adequate? From a 'enough to get the workers we need' perspective?

KatherineofGaunt
Yeah, you're right. Primary teachers aren't important. Kids don't need to be taught to read, write and understand different aspects of Mathematics until they're 11.
Only secondary teaching is important enough for a payrise.
Your understanding has shone a light for me on my own illusions of grandeur that my teaching actually makes a difference in pupils' lives.

Oh, don't be so melodramatic - postgraduate teaching bursaries and scholarships already exist for some subjects such as physics. All teachers were offered a pay rise - I don't begrudge the pay rise you have already been offered;
https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/03/28/teacher-strikes-latest-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-teacher-pay-offer/

@GreenwichOrTwicks "In all the eleventy million threads the OP has started on this topic the rantingemotive language is always the same."

I don't recognise @jazzyfazzy766 .

noblegiraffe
Omg you don't actually have a clue what you're talking about, do you?

Perhaps you should send your chart to the Labour Party then - an extra £1.7 billion isn't going to cut it - it's less than the government's £2 billion funding boost.

You have no idea that there is a critical shortage of teachers because you only know about the private sector where wealth buys privilege. That explains an awful lot.

I wouldn't describe myself as wealthy at all.

For a start you need to stop wittering about 'low value degrees' - beggars really can't be choosers.

Actually, I think it was one of your previous links (NFER/IFS) that kept wittering on about 'low value degrees' in the context of average teachers' pay v other professions - arts subjects v science/PGCE v Masters/PhD.

For there to be an even number of days missed for all children, all teachers would need to belong to the same trade union. I do not want to see a return to a closed shop in any form, the right to join a trade union, a different one, or none at all, should remain.

You seem to have not answered the question, Clav

Given the recruitment and retention situation in teaching - is the pay adequate? From a 'enough to get the workers we need' perspective?

noblegiraffe
Given the recruitment and retention situation in teaching - is the pay adequate?
For the majority of subjects taught I think it is. Workload and other grievances could be looked at.

@clavinova

How can I put this in a way you get. There are times when your dogged posting amuses me. Cases like this where you're frankly just writing shit for the giggles.

It is me that received the government money and allocates it. Not you.

My budget for pupil numbers is down, but admittedly some funding has offset that. This good ✔️

My budget for Teacher pay rises in 22/23 and for Support Staff in 23/24 is not funded. This bad ❎

Neither is the funding allocated to provide the 1:1 care for a half dozen children that do not have special school places. This is very bad for the budget ❎ and fucking appalling for the children ❎ ❎

And if you're a Teacher of Physics, first bravo you're a walking holy grail alongside your maths, chemistry, biology and language teachers, but why wouldn't you work in the private sector in a sellers market.

@LlynTegid the only reason all the unions haven't all striked is because the NASUWT didn't get their balloting shit together.

They've found the fairway now and will be accompanied by the Headteachers. Bit unfair on their NEU colleagues, who've fought the fight and lost the salary thus far.

That's game over as far as keeping schools open in England.

So you think the pay is right but the workload is wrong.

Which could also be interpreted as the pay is inadequate for the workload, yes?

Glad we agree that the current pay is inadequate, as the government is unable to effectively tackle workload.

Vitriolinsanity
How can I put this in a way you get

I get that both you and noblegiraffe have a condescending tone on this thread - and yet both of you have made some incorrect claims/errors on the thread as well.

Oh Clav you deserve far more than a condescending tone.

You keep dodging the questions and the statistics, this is all a game to you. For other people, it's their kids' education at stake.

noblegiraffe
So you think the pay is right but the workload is wrong
Which could also be interpreted as the pay is inadequate for the workload, yes?
Not necessarily - more flexibility regarding part-time working could be an option.

I suspect that more teachers would be able to afford to go part time if the pay were better...

noblegiraffe
You keep dodging the questions and the statistics, this is all a game to you. For other people, it's their kids' education at stake.

I wouldn't say it's a game at all - many of your posts are overtly political and a Labour government would not suit my family at all - not least because I have one child still attending an independent school and two relatives working in the independent school sector.

I wouldn't say it's a game at all - many of your posts are overtly political and a Labour government would not suit my family at all - not least because I have one child still attending an independent school and two relatives working in the independent school sector.

Yes, because the Tories have utterly fucked the country. I'm not a Labour supporter, as well you know, and if they get into power and fuck things up, they'll hear from me about it.

But you are prepared to defend the indefensible to keep your kid out of the state sector that the other 93% of kids have to put up with.

If it's not good enough for your kid, and you are worried that your kid might end up in it due to Labour putting private school fees up to the point that they are unaffordable, then pull your finger out and email Gillian Keegan and ask her to sort out the teacher pay dispute.

Otherwise it might be your kid who ends up without a teacher. Like the other state school kids are having to put up with.

My DD missed a term of A-level teaching - Year 13 -because her teacher was seriously ill and off school and the school is so underfunded they couldn't afford a supply.

Condescending tone was what I was aiming for. I'll take that, over the ban I'd be happy to get.

I'm not a Labour supporter and I have kids in Indie school. I often don't agree with @noblegiraffe but in the points she's made she is right. You are not. The state system is going to hell.

I suppose the only upside is whoever has my job in 15 years won't be able to add, so they won't be able to accurately point out the issues or determine the volume of shit they're in.