Two Newport schools set to close as teachers strike

Staff from Caerleon Comprehensive are striking over planned curriculum changes

Two secondary schools are facing closure because of strikes planned over feared job cuts.

Llanwern High School staff took similar action last month and are planning a further three days next week.

Newport's Caerleon Comprehensive workers say they will stay away on 6, 11 and 12 February. Llanwern staff plan to be off on 11, 12 and 13 February.

Newport Council said the move meant pupils would lose "important teaching and learning time".

The authority said 48 staff were set to stay away from Llanwern, and 47 from Caerleon.

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Unions say the move has been prompted by an overhaul of the curriculum in Wales which could see traditional subject boundaries in secondary schools blurred into six areas of learning.

NASUWT acting general secretary Chris Keates said: "As at Llanwern, the NASUWT has not heard any convincing arguments for why this proposed restructuring is necessary.

"We regret any disruption this strike action has on pupils or parents, but we hope they will understand that this action is about safeguarding the provision of high-quality education at the school, delivered by experienced and skilled teaching staff."

Teachers at Llanwern High School are joining the strike

Jane Setchfield, of NASUWT Cymru, said Caerleon school was risking "great damage to the academic leadership in the school".

Newport Council said it would try to "mitigate" any job losses "by seeking redeployment opportunities".

It said no compulsory redundancies were "pending" at Caerleon.

The council said in most cases strike action would mean "full or partial school closure".

A spokesman said: "We are particularly concerned for those pupils who are studying for their GCSEs and A-level examinations."