North Somerset teachers on strike next Thursday - list now published

Several Nailsea schools will be closed on Thursday, June 30, because teachers will be on strike.

The strike has been called by the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) as a protest again proposed pension cuts.

North Somerset Council posted at lunchtime on Friday an interim list of school closures.

The council had initially expected the action to mostly affect primary schools.

Earlier this week a council spokesman said: "The impact will be greater at smaller schools and therefore the comprehensive schools which employ more teachers who belong to different unions may not be so hard hit."

But he couldn't have been further from the truth.

Golden Valley Primary School and St Francis RC Primary School have confirmed they are closing as is Backwell School.

Kingshill CoE Primary School will be closed bar one year.

Nailsea School will be partially closed during its enrichment week and some classes will be closed at Tickenham CoE Primary School.

Weston College will also be closed.

Marketing and communications officer Richard Turner said: "Contrary to what I told Nailsea People earlier it looks like secondary schools are quite badly affected throughout the district."

To find out the full list of closures click HERE.

Many local parents are up in arms by the strike news.

Single mum Ellie Taylor told Nailsea People: "I would like to express my outrage at the strike action to be taken next Thursday by teachers resulting in the school turning pupils away.

"I would like to make it clear that I understand this is a union decision and is not the fault of head teachers or individual schools."

Ellie who has two children at Kingshill CoE Primary School supports teachers trying to maintain pay and conditions but feel striking is not the answer.

And while she believes the treatment of public service workers by the Coalition Government is a 'disgrace' she said: "I don't see why parents and pupils should also be made to suffer."

Ellie added: "By all means teachers should have the right to protest like everyone else, but why not do it in the form of a mass demonstration at a weekend instead of penalising innocent people for the government's actions?"

And Gill Followell agreed.

She said: "I heartily agree with Ellie especially when it has been announced this morning that one of the union leaders responsible for calling for strike action has just been granted a huge pay rise."

NUT division secretary Jon Reddiford, of Nailsea School, said: "I have done a calculation which says that over 25 years in retirement I will be £110,000 worse off.

"That is how much less pension I will receive if these proposals go ahead.

"Teachers pay more into their pension fund every year than is taken out so there is no financial need for these proposed changes."

Mr Reddiford who teaches history added: "We recognise this is going to cause inconvenience and we regret this but a good pension package is a way of recruiting good teachers which must be in the long term interest of the children."

Kingshill CoE Primary will be closed to all year groups except Year 5.

Head teacher Nic Baykaa-Murray said: "We apologise for any inconveniences yet understand that it is members legal right to strike."

And head teacher Kevin Lynch at Golden Valley Primary School told parents in a letter home that his Nailsea Park school would be closed.

He said: "A large number of teaching staff at Golden Valley have indicated to me their intention to join the industrial action, and will be on strike on Thursday.

"A minority of teaching staff who belong to different teaching unions will be in school as usual.

"However, they are advised by their union not to cover additional duties which are usually undertaken by the members of staff on strike.

"It is not possible to employ supply teachers when members of staff are on strike.

"The date for the strike coincides with Year 6 Camp Week; although members of teaching staff attending camp support the industrial action, they have chosen not to strike so that there is no disruption to the children attending camp.

"Unfortunately, I have no other option than to close the school to pupils.

"I have discussed the situation with governors, and have undertaken a risk assessment based on the number of staff intending to strike.

"However, with only four classes having their regular teacher, and the majority of senior staff either on strike or at school camp, it has been decided that school cannot function appropriately and safely.

"Golden Valley's teaching staff are extremely dedicated and hard-working, and do feel uncomfortable and guilty about the decision to join the strike; they will also forfeit a day's pay.

"The situation regarding pensions and the proposed changes will have an enormous impact on every teacher, and as such, the members of both unions feel that they must join together with their colleagues across the country and make a stand.

"We apologise if this causes any inconvenience to you and your family, but the decision by the teaching staff to strike has not been taken lightly."

About 220,000 NUT members were balloted over the proposed pension changes.

Around nine out of 10 (92 per cent) of those who voted, backed the strike action with a turnout of 40 per cent.

And just over half of the ATL's members were eligible to vote - the rest are not members of the pension scheme.

Some 83 per cent of the ATL members of those who voted backed the strike action - on a turn-out of 35 per cent.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said the government was committed to working openly and constructively with unions.

But he added: "We are clear that a strike by teachers will only damage pupils' learning and inconvenience their busy working parents.

"The well-being and safety of pupils must remain paramount."

Thousands of Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) members who work in in air traffic control and immigration at Bristol Airport and local job centres are expected to join the strike.

Police community support officers and court workers are also expected to join the protest.

Many teachers will be manning picket lines outside their schools next Thursday morning.