Northamptonshire teachers join national strike

Primary teacher Natalie Lane says she has seen "massive" changes in the profession during her 29-year career

Teachers across Northamptonshire walked out as part of nation-wide industrial action by the National Education Union (NEU), that wants an above-inflation pay rise for staff.

Union members from Cedar Road Primary in Northampton have joined an expected 200,000 teachers on strike.

"Without us doing this, the government would not listen to what we need as educators," said teacher Natalie Lane.

The government is proposing a 3% pay rise; inflation stands at 10%.

January's inflation figure was 10.1%, down from December's figure of 10.5%, using the Consumer Prices Index measure.

Ms Lane, who teaches Year Three children, said she had seen "massive changes" in the profession during her 29-year career and she regularly worked 10-hour days.

But she said her working conditions had prompted her to strike.

"The amount we put the children through - they're not having the time to blossom as people - we're just cramming information into their heads," said Ms Lane.

"If we want Britain to be the best at educating, we really need to put more money into it.

"I feel it's the most important thing for me to be in the classroom - but I don't think there's any other thing we can do apart from striking."

Second walkout

It is the second planned walkout following the first strike on 1 February.

Unions have called for above-inflation pay increases and want schools to get extra money to ensure wage rises do not come from existing budgets.

Last week, the Conservative government's Education Secretary Gillian Keegan asked the teaching unions to "formal talks on pay, conditions and reform" in exchange for this week's walkouts being suspended.

Ms Keegan said the decision not to cancel the regional strikes was "hugely disappointing".

She has said the government has already agreed to provide an extra £2bn funding for England "which will take real-terms spending on school to its highest level in history".

However, joint general secretaries of the NEU, Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, accused the government of "burying its head in the sand" as they claimed underfunded pay increases had "pushed the profession to its limits".

Ms Lane said: "They've been talking to the government every day and trying to get them around the table - the government just won't do it unless we decide not to hold the strikes.

"I absolutely understand it disrupts [parents] and their working lives, but this is the only way we can resolve this."

Teacher Selina Smith said she found herself cramming full-time hours in her part-time job

Her school colleague, Year Six teacher Selina Smith, said she felt forced to work extra unpaid hours in order to teach properly.

"I am actually part-time but I find myself working a full-time week in four days," she said.

"This is not a choice; we have to have these things ready for the children; I have to do this work; I don't have a choice.

"In other industries people would get paid overtime and that doesn't happen.

"We're tried the negotiations and we've tried the talks and it hasn't got us anywhere."