Teachers’ strike dates: When are they and will schools close?

Thousands of schools are facing disruption as teachers strike over pay.

Parents may need to take time off work, or arrange childcare, if schools close.

More than 100,000 teachers in 23,000 schools could walk out across seven strike days, according to the National Education Union (NEU):

NEU teachers in sixth-form colleges in England – who are already striking – will also walk out.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) and two other unions will walk out on 28 February and 1 March.

The EIS will hold 20 further strike days between 13 March and 21 April.

The decision is made by head teachers. Teachers don’t have to say if they are striking in advance, and there are no rules about when parents must be told about closures.

Some parents may only be told about a closure on the morning itself, once heads know which staff are available.

There are no minimum staffing rules, and heads can use agency staff and volunteers. They do not have to stick to the curriculum.

As in England, head teachers decide whether to close.

The Welsh government says parents should ideally get a week’s notice, but individual schools will decide how best to minimise the impact of the strikes.

Almost all primary and secondary schools have closed on strike days. Local councils make the decision.

Your employer must not refuse a reasonable request, but you may not be paid.

Alternatively, you may be able to take annual leave or unpaid parental leave.

Breakfast and after-school clubs and pre-schools may be open, even if the main school closes.

Privately-run clubs might not operate, so check.

Wales’ education minister says head teachers are doing “whatever they can” to support these groups.

All schools and colleges should have contingency plans in place to limit disruption.

They should prioritise exams and other formal assessments on strike days, even if the school is closed to other pupils.

Students will be told if there is any change to the exam or venue.

This might involve providing food parcels.

In Scotland, some families were given money to cover food costs, while others were offered a packed lunch.

Most state-school teachers in England and Wales had a 5% rise in 2022. In Northern Ireland many teachers were offered 3.2% for 2021/22 and 2022/23. In Scotland, teachers have rejected both a 5% increase and a more recent offer of up to 6.85%.

Unions say inflation means the pay increases are really cuts. They want schools to get extra money to ensure pay rises do not come from existing budgets.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says the government has already agreed to provide an extra £2bn in school funding, “which will take real-terms spending on schools to its highest level in history”.

The starting salary for teachers in England is due to rise to £30,000 a year by September 2023.

State school classroom teachers in England were paid an average of £38,982 in the 2021/22 school year. This compares with £39,009 in Wales and £40,026 in Scotland. Northern Ireland did not provide a figure.

The average head teacher’s salary in England for the same period was £74,095, and £57,117 for other senior leaders.

Experts in England advise the government about teacher pay, based on factors including vacancies and subject shortages.

As with all public spending, money allocated in England determines the funding awarded to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Employers also contribute 23.68% to teacher pensions, which the education secretary called “very generous”. Nurses, by comparison, receive 14.38% in employer contributions.

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