Teachers' strikes: School leaders to vote over strike action in England

Two more days of strike action will take place on 27 April and 2 May in England and on 26 April in Northern Ireland

A school leaders' union in England will ballot its members over strike action for the first time.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said the ballot will be over the school funding crisis, pay and conditions, and staff shortages.

Members will be asked to vote during the summer term and any action taken would be in the autumn term.

Geoff Barton, ASCL's general secretary said the action was taken "as a last resort and with a heavy heart".

He said the move reflected the "desperate situation regarding inadequate funding, long-term pay erosion, teacher shortages, and the intransigence of a government which we can only conclude does not value the education workforce or recognise the severe pressures facing the sector".

The ASCL, which represents mostly head teachers and leaders, has more than 23,000 members.

The union, along with three other teaching unions involved in the dispute, has rejected an improved government pay offer.

A total of 56% of ASCL members voted on the offer, with 87% of those rejecting it.

• What are teachers' pay demands?

• More strikes planned as teachers reject pay offer

The Department for Education (DfE) said it had made a "fair and reasonable" pay offer recognising "teachers' hard work and commitment".

It included a £1,000 one-off payment this year and a 4.3% pay rise for most staff next year. The starting salary for teachers in England is also due to rise to £30,000 a year by September 2023.

The government said it believes schools can afford to fund most of the pay rise through money already promised in the Autumn Statement, but that it would have provided some additional money to fund the remainder of it, and for the £1,000 one-off payment.

Most state school teachers in England had a 5% pay rise in 2022.

'Increased costs'

Unions want negotiations to continue, but the decision will now be made by the pay review body.

There are further strikes planned in England and Northern Ireland.

Members of the National Education Union in England are striking on Thursday 27 April and Tuesday 2 May and in Northern Ireland, five unions will also strike on Wednesday 26 April.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) is also considering balloting members again over strike action.

A DfE official said school funding would be at its highest level in history next year.

"We know schools are facing increased costs like energy and staffing and [we] are providing an extra £2bn in each of the next two years to cover those costs," the official said.

"As a result, school funding is set to rise faster than forecast inflation in both 2023-24 and 2024-25."