Teachers and teaching staff picketed outside Sandbach School in Crewe Road today (Wednesday) in a strike by a teaching union over pay.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) voted in favour of strike action with a 90% majority when the ballot was open from 28 October 2022 until 13 January 2023. 

Gareth Edwards, district vice president of Cheshire East's NEU said members were concerned about the affect pay was having on recruiting graduates to the profession and retaining them.

He said: "Since 2010, teaching salaries haven't kept up with inflation when the national private sector salaries have increased.

"Teaching is no longer seen by graduates to be an attractive profession and we're seeing non-specialist teachers teaching core subjects.

"So many teachers are leaving within the first year and the quality of education is suffering due to recruitment and retention issues."

Protesters in Sandbach were then going on to join a demonstration starting at Crewe Railway Station at 11.30 am and then marching alongside sister unions to the constituency Offices of Kieran Mullan MP for a demonstrations at noon.

Another demonstration took place in Manchester where some teachers from the area were also attending.

Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College were offered lessons via Microsoft Teams for years seven to 10. Alsager School said years 7, 8, 9 and 10 were affected by the strike action.

A spokesperson from Cheshire East Council said: "We are working hard to support all our schools and sharing the DfE guidance on handling strike action.

Sandbach School in Crewe Road (Photo: Deborah Bowyer)

"Regarding which schools will be open or partially open - we have asked that they publish arrangements on their websites for their school community."

Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretaries of the National Education Union, said: "We have continually raised our concerns with successive education secretaries about teacher and support staff pay and its funding in schools and colleges, but instead of seeking to resolve the issue they have sat on their hands. 

"The average 5% pay rise for teachers this year is some 7% behind inflation. In the midst of a cost of living crisis, that is an unsustainable situation.

"We regret having to take strike action, and are willing to enter into negotiations at any time, any place, but this situation cannot go on."

Teaching support worker outside Sandbach School today

Teachers Thousands of teachers across Stoke are on strike today (1 February) in response to a lack of government-funded pay rises, falling standards and increasing workloads. 

Teachers part of the National Education Union (NEU) voted in favour of strike action with a 90% majority when the ballot was open from 28 October 2022 until 13 January 2023. 

Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretaries of the National Education Union, said: "We have continually raised our concerns with successive education secretaries about teacher and support staff pay and its funding in schools and colleges, but instead of seeking to resolve the issue they have sat on their hands. 

"The average 5% pay rise for teachers this year is some 7% behind inflation. In the midst of a cost of living crisis, that is an unsustainable situation.

"We regret having to take strike action, and are willing to enter into negotiations at any time, any place, but this situation cannot go on."

Teachers waved posters and placards outside the school (Sarah Garner).

He said: "One of the big reasons for strike action is pay, teachers on average have lost 10% since 2010 and in the cost of living, wages are still not going up. 

"Another big reason is standards in the industry are dropping. One out of every five teachers leave within their first five years and that's down to increasing pressure and workload. 

"You accept the workload as a teacher because it's part of the job but we need the support to do that job and be most effective. 

"We do this because we care deeply about the children and when you hear about a teacher that's not an accurate description of the job anymore - we do so much more than that."