Government needs to 'pay up' for school resources and staffing, say striking teachers in Kettering and Corby

Striking members of the National Education Union (NEU) have swapped their classrooms for picket lines across the county.

Teachers and supporters held a rally in Corby to voice their concerns about pay, conditions and funding that they say is affecting children's education.

Picket lines were held outside school gates and leaflets handed to colleagues as they arrived at work – many year groups stayed at home.

History teacher Rosie Hainsworth, NEU rep at Bishop Stopford School, said: “We're hoping to teach a lesson of another kind today.

"We are taking industrial action today as a last resort in response to years of underfunding across the education sector.

"This strike is not just about a pay rise for teachers: this is a protest for school funding nationally.

"If the education of the next generation is a priority, the government needs to pay up for school resources and staffing. Retention and recruitment of teaching and support staff is at an all-time low and this is impacting on young people's education.

"Ultimately we all want the best for our students, and if it takes sacrificing some of our own stretched pay to send a message to the government, so be it.”

Rose Mackay, Year 6 teacher and deputy head of St Brendan’s Catholic Primary School, joined colleagues outside the Corby Cube.

She said: “Our education system is crushed because we have political parties dictating to us when they don’t understand education. They need to look at the outcomes in Europe rather than targets.

”My passion has always been with the children but the system is broken and that’s due to funding cuts.”

Colleague Pamela Bell added: “The job’s expanding, it’s not just about teaching any more. There’s so many more children with more needs.”

Keeley Pallett has taught in county schools for 25 years and is currently a Year 4 teacher at Hall Meadow Primary School in Kettering.

She said: “My pay rise is not funded. My headteacher has to get that out of the existing budget so I think they will have no choice but to cut staff to make savings – they can’t cut the heating or lights. That’s why I’m here, TAs (teaching assistants) are a godsend and make a massive impact.”

Phill Monk, head of geography at Southfield School in Kettering, said: “It’s really hard to recruit staff. People don’t want to come into the profession.

"Sometimes (new teachers) don’t last two years. We’ve got non-qualified teachers teaching GCSE students in some schools. I think parents do know about this and not much is done about it – there’s no public outcry. Education is no longer the priority. I’m committed to being a teacher but things have to change. Nobody wants to strike – it’s the last resort.”

Matt Reay, teacher at Brooke Weston Academy, qualified fairly recently.

He said: “We’re not striking against the school, we’re striking against the system.

“It’s unsustainable, the government needs to fund schools properly. Schools can’t afford to keep the lights on. I’ve heard of teachers crying during meal times because they’re so overwhelmed. It’s not necessarily about pay, it’s about conditions. Some of us are working 50 to 60 hours a week.”