Picket-line outside Harborough school in support of national teachers' strike

Teachers have staged a protest in Market Harborough after joining a national strike over pay.

A picket line was set-up outside Robert Smyth Academy this morning, which was supported by staff from other schools as well as some parents and children.

The action by the National Education Union, in an ongoing row with the government over pay, has led to the full or partial closure of most schools across the area today.

The nationwide strike will be the first of several planned walkouts. It affects some 23,000 schools across the country as well as schools in and around the Harborough district.

Teachers have lost nearly a quarter of pay (23 per cent) since 2010, rising to 27 per cent for support staff. And this year, the average five per cent pay rise for teachers, is some seven per cent behind inflation.

James Rose, a teacher at Great Bowden Academy, explained why the offer is not enough.

He said: “The real reason that most teachers are actually getting up and saying something is the fact that it’s not really funded by the government. So, although they’re saying yes ‘you can pay the teachers five per cent more’ there’s no money to cover that. If we did accept that unfunded pay rise, it’s got to come out of other budgets and we are already stretched for things such as stationary and basics on a day to day basis as well as for support staff and SEND and everything else that goes into running a school.

“It’s lovely that they have offered a five per cent pay rise today but it’s not enough for teachers and also the main problem is it’s unfunded, and the only way that we can make a point is to strike - that’s why we are here today.”

Robin Webb, an A-level teacher at Robert Smyth and National Education Union representative at the school, said: “It has been a long-standing issue with the government where they’ve underfunded the education service and the teaching profession. So, it’s not just about this year, it’s been a constant 12 to 13 years of underfunding of the staffing - that’s why we are here today to support teachers and support staff over 50 per cent of staff have come out to strike today.

The majority of staff at Welland Park Academy have also gone on strike today, with all year groups, apart from vulnerable pupils and Year 11, asked to stay home.

According to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, parents are entitled to time off work for an unexpected problem or emergency such as failed childcare plans. This is known as dependent leave and can be used in situations where there is no other option.

The Government says it is still committed to a "fair and sustainable pay deal", adding that it has has already agreed to provide an extra £2 billion in school funding, "which will take real-terms spending on schools to its highest level in history".

Further walkouts by teachers are planned for a further three dates in March.

Strike action by drivers at East Midlands Railway also means there are no train services running through Market Harborough today.