By Kelly Eve and Pam McClounie

Last updated at 17:42, Friday, 18 April 2008

ALMOST 10,000 pupils in Cumbria – including 8,000 in Carlisle – are being told to stay at home next Thursday when members of the UK’s biggest teaching union, the National Union of Teachers (NUT), plan to walk out in a strike over pay.

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The industrial action, by teachers and lecturers, will leave working parents with the headache of finding alternative childcare.

In some of Cumbria’s biggest secondary schools, classes have been cancelled and pupils told not to go in. The strike affects primary and secondary schools, and Carlisle College.

Picket lines are expected outside colleges but the NUT has said they will not be picketing at schools.

Instead, teachers from Cumbria have been invited to take part in a regional joint rally of NUT and UCU members in the centre of Newcastle.

The walk-out means Trinity School, Carlisle’s largest secondary school, will be closed to all 1,500 pupils in years 7-11. Only sixth-formers have been told to go in.

Deputy head Sheila Johnston said: “We have sent a letter to all parents saying that more than 30 of the teaching staff will be away.

“For pupils in year 11 we want to ensure they have a useful day. If they attend college courses, we ask them to go. For the others, we are asking them to spend the day productively.”

Eight of the 19 NUT members at nearby Newman School are expected to take part in the walkout.

Headteacher John McAuley said some pupils would have a reduced timetable on Thursday.

Parents will be informed of the arrangements.

Martin Murphy, headteacher at St Aidan’s School in Carlisle, said he would be writing to parents today. “We want to keep classes on for those about to do their exams but half of my staff could be on strike. I’ll be writing to parents today to tell them the situation.”

In Brampton, arrangements have been made to ensure year 11 language pupils at William Howard School can still take their oral exams on Thursday. Around 40 per cent of the teaching staff at William Howard School are members of the NUT.

Headteacher Lorrayne Hughes, in a letter to parents, said it would be “impossible” to run a normal school day for all students because of the threat of disruption.

Therefore she has given priority to those teenagers in years 11, 12 and 13, who have been told to attend classes as usual.

She said: “A number of their lessons may be cancelled but, wherever possible, lessons will take place as timetabled.

“We will provide supervised study facilities when they are needed, including access to IT rooms. Students are asked to bring suitable study materials with them on the day.”

The school’s year 10 and 11 alternative curriculum provision will continue and school buses will be running as normal. But Mrs Hughes has decided that all other year groups will not be able to attend school.

Pledging to keep parents informed of any changes, Mrs Hughes said: “Any disruption to young people’s education is regrettable and I would like to assure you that I have done everything possible to minimise the effect on as many students as possible.”

Acting joint headteacher David Ferriby said the disruption at Wigton’s Nelson Thomlinson School was likely to be minimal.

He said: “We’re expecting all pupils in school as normal. We don’t have an NUT rep at the school so it’s up to individual members of staff to come to us and say if they’re planning to strike. Members of the senior management team will be looking after classes where staff are absent.”

Around a third of 62 teachers at Caldew School in Dalston, near Carlisle, are members of the NUT. Headteacher Geoff Toogood and his senior managers were discussing the situation yesterday.

Silloth’s Solway Community School, Beacon Hill School in Aspatria, and Lochinvar School in Longtown are not expecting disruption.

At Ullswater Community College in Penrith headteacher Stewart Gimber said: “Next Thursday, students in Years 7 and 8 are asked to stay at home. Students in Years 9, 10 and 11 who would normally be taught by NUT members for some lessons will be supervised in a safe environment. “Students in those years are asked to have with them some work or a reading book.

“Students in Years 12 and 13 not being taught by NUT members will receive additional non-teaching periods in which they are requested to continue with private study.

“An inset day planned for Monday, April 21 has been postponed. My belief is that we cannot afford to have two days within one week when the normal pattern of lessons does not occur.

“All students are required to be in college on that day. The inset day will be rearranged in the second half of this term.”

Cockermouth School will be closed to all 1,400 pupils. Staff who are not part of the NUT are expected to go into work. Netherhall School in Maryport has not announced details yet.

Cumbria County Council says it is still too early to predict how many schools will be affected by the industrial action.

All headteachers have been asked to submit details to the local education authority by early next week so it can help provide any additional support to those families, carers and non-teaching services where needed.

This may include foster carers who may need extra help or informing the school meals service of reduced numbers.

Cumbria NUT secretary Alan Rutter said: “We don’t know exactly what the picture will be yet because it is up to the schools to make arrangements.

“But we have been getting good feedback and support from members, many who may not have taken part in the ballot but who have seen the strong words of other members and are deciding to join the action.

“What we are trying to do is demonstrate the strength of feeling.”

The NUT has also called on the government to review its current pay deal for teachers as well as improve the existing offer under dispute on the next pay deal due to start in September.

Meanwhile, Carlisle College and Lakes College West Cumbria could face widespread disruption.

Almost two-thirds of the 105 lecturers at the Lillyhall college, which has many students from the north of the county, are members of the University College Union (UCU).

Regional official Iain Owens says the UCU has around 300 members in Cumbria’s four further education colleges – around 60 per cent of the county’s FE lecturing staff.

He said: “The issues are long-standing about pay. The central thrust of what we are arguing for is to be on a par with school teachers. They want to earn the same as school teachers.”

Cumbria County Council’s member for children’s wellbeing, Councillor Jim Buchanan, said: “It has been a long time since teachers last took industrial action and I am very sad that they feel that they need to do so now. I hope that the National Union of Teachers and central Government may yet find some way to resolve their differences about teachers’ pay.

“The county council will of course do our very best to support schools, parents and children if the strike goes ahead next week.”

First published at 19:38, Thursday, 17 April 2008
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk