IN PICTURES: Teachers across North Somerset go on strike

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) are taking industrial action to try and secure a fully-funded, above inflation pay rise.

Pickets were held outside schools throughout the region, such as:

• Outside All Saints Church, Clevedon
• Gordano School, Portishead
• Nailsea School
• St Katherine’s School, Ham Green (Pill)
• Voyage Learning Campus, Weston.

Nailsea School picket. (Image: NEU)

Clevedon picket. (Image: NEU)

The union will next strike on May 2.

Hannah Packham, South West regional secretary for the National Education Union, said: “Gillian Keegan is failing to address the multiple problems damaging our children's education - around teacher recruitment and retention problems, and inadequate school funding.

Gordano School picket. (Image: NEU)

St Katherine's School picket. (Image: NEU)

"She has been told by the profession – and a significant majority of the profession – that her pay and funding offer is not good enough. 98% of NEU members rejected it, on a two-thirds turnout. 

“Her response has been to deny the way the wind is blowing. She is refusing to return to the negotiating table.

“The NEU regrets any disruption to education, and has put in place measures to ensure GCSE and A level students have a full program on those days, but what parents know is the disruption to education on a daily basis.

Voyage Learning Campus picket. (Image: NEU)

Voyage Learning Campus. (Image: NEU)

"This is the result of government policy on pay, on workload, on funding, and its serial neglect of a recruitment and retention crisis. Pupils are now regularly taught by staff who do not specialise in the subject they are asked to teach, or by a series of different teachers for the same subject across a year.

“Despite our efforts, this Government has shown no understanding of just how serious the situation is in our schools and colleges. The pay and funding offer has only served to unite the profession against the Government. That is why other unions are moving to ballot. This coming week, NEU members are acting to make the Government see sense and improve its offer to teachers.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Any strike action is hugely damaging. We have made a fair and reasonable pay offer to teachers recognising their hard work and commitment.

“Thanks to the further £2 billion we are investing in our schools, next year, school funding will be at its highest level in history.”