Bristol learning foundation chief hopes for talks to resolve school strikes

National Education Union members on strike at City Academy in Bristol

The chief of a foundation responsible for more than 20 schools said he was hopeful people would get around a table to resolve ongoing strike disruption.

National Education Union (NEU) members are striking for second day this week and the seventh time since February.

At City Academy in Bristol some staff were attending a development day while colleagues were on strike outside.

Steve Taylor, chief executive of Cabot Learning Federation, said teachers were keen to get back into the classroom.

Steve Taylor, chief executive of Cabot Learning Federation, is hoping for a resolution to end the strikes to come quickly

The foundation, which runs City Academy, along with 21 other schools across the south west, has more than 2,000 employees.

Mr Taylor said they had considered postponing the staff development day but did not want to cause disruption to parents in the last few weeks of term.

He said it was a "great shame" that not all staff would take part.

"We know how strongly they feel about professional development and how important that is in their careers so the coincidence isn't great but at the same time it has been a date in the diary for some time.

"We considered a range of options but colleagues who are not in a union or in other unions make up the majority of staff so we decided it was best to go ahead. The mood is positive and good-natured," added Mr Taylor.

The National Education Union has held two strikes within a week

NEU teachers are striking because they want an above-inflation pay increase, plus extra money to ensure any pay rises do not come from schools' existing budgets.

The union is balloting for further strike action in the autumn, which could involve co-ordinated strikes with three other education unions.

Mr Taylor said he hoped that the situation would not continue into the latter part of the year.

"The action is about making a point that teachers pay is important so that we can attract people to the profession and keep them and you can understand why they are doing it.

"I would be really keen for the dispute to be resolved. It would be great to have people around the table to discuss it but I have no influence over that so we will continue to do the best for colleagues and students whatever the situation is in the autumn," he added.

Teachers are calling for an above-inflation pay increase

James Halliday, head of English at Henley Bank High School in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, said there is a "huge crisis" in education.

"Recruitment rates are through the floor in terms of getting teachers trained. The levels are about half of what the target is," he said.

"We don't have 80% of the maths teachers we need at the moment and a third of teachers leave the profession within the first five years.

"We've got teachers who simply cannot afford to stay in the profession.

"They really want to stay. Every teacher I know really wants to be a teacher but sometimes they just have to leave because they don't have enough money to keep going," added Mr Halliday.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said Friday's strike would lead end of term events to be cancelled, including Year 6 pupils' secondary school transition days.

On pay, they said: "As part of the normal process, the independent School Teachers' Review Body has submitted its recommendations to government on teacher pay for 2023-24.

"We will be considering the recommendations and will publish our response in the usual way."