Wales schools: Some will shut on strike days - minister

It is not yet clear whether online teaching could be provided on strike days, says the education minister

Some schools in Wales will have to close as a result of teacher strikes, according to the education minister.

National Education Union (NEU) members are expected to strike on 1 February on the first of four days of action.

Jeremy Miles said the exact number of schools "isn't clear" but head teachers were calculating provision based on numbers of union members in schools.

Councils wanted to give "a week's notice to parents of what that will mean in schools", he said.

It still remains unclear whether any online teaching will be provided on strike days.

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Teachers were offered a 5% pay rise last year but the NEU wants 12%.

NEU Wales secretary David Evans said unions had been offered a "one off non-consolidated payment" but it "doesn't go anywhere near meeting" demands.

Mr Miles told BBC Politics Wales there was an ongoing discussion with unions about workload pressures and pay but he conceded that "we haven't yet come to a point where we can resolve those issues".

"What's been happening over the past week is that the unions have been telling schools the number of members that they have, and now heads are looking at the provision as a consequence of that," he said.

"Most authorities genuinely want to give around a week's notice to parents of what that will mean in schools.

"They will need to make a judgment at a school level, with local authorities, around whether schools are staying open."

Asked if that could mean some will be closing, Mr Miles said: "Yes, that's going to happen.

"The exact number isn't clear but heads are working on that task.

"Obviously there are constraints on what heads can ask other teachers to do to cover for striking teachers so there are limitations that they will face."

During the Covid-19 pandemic, hubs were set up for the children of key workers while schools were closed.

'Avoidable disruption'

But Mr Miles said the rules which allowed that to happen were "specific to coronavirus".

"We will all be worried about parents having to take time off to look after their children when they may be losing pay themselves as a consequence of that," he said.

"None of us want to see schools shut so that's why we will do everything we can to seek a resolution."

Conservative education spokesperson Laura Anne Jones said: "Pupils in Wales have faced enough disruption over the course of the pandemic, and we are now seeing the consequences.

"This avoidable disruption simply isn't in the best interest of our children and young people."

Plaid Cymru urged Mark Drakeford to take part in talks with unions.

Plaid leader Adam Price said: "With talks at a standstill, it is time the first minister personally intervened, setting out a new and fairer deal for public service workers that addresses the basic unfairness of the current pay review bodies process and that can form the basis for an end to the disputes.

"Without progress, this deadlock will continue."

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