Following on from texts that have been sent to all parents and carers and our weekly newsletter, I am writing to inform you that I anticipate that as a school we will be significantly affected by industrial action on Wednesday 1^st February.

The well being and safety of the children will always be paramount to myself, governors and our staff.

Many of you will be aware that on Wednesday 1st February at least one teaching union will be joining many other public sector unions in calling for industrial action. Please understand that teachers are striking against the national education policy, funding and resources in school, not against the children whom they work so hard for every day. Currently the Government stance is that any proposed pay rises are to be funded from existing school budgets and no additional funding has been allocated to cover the associated shortfall in school budgets. This obviously has massive implications for the quality of education and levels of support that ourselves and many schools are able to provide for our wonderful children.

Unions are understandably campaigning for any pay rises to be directly funded by Government, this may not always be apparent in the media and the information that is shared by Government with the public.

At this stage I am not yet able to determine which classes will be able to attend school on Wednesday 1^st February due to the large numbers of staff who are members of the union which is involved in making the difficult decision to take industrial action. 

After much consideration we will be unable to offer places to children of critical workers if their class has to close. Breakfast club and after school childcare will not be available on Wednesday 1^st February and other scheduled dates for industrial action.

It is important that as parents you have appropriate childcare plans in place on the following dates as school will undoubtedly be closed to the majority of children and potentially all children if there is not a resolution agreed by unions and Government:

• Wednesday 1^st February
• Tuesday 28^th February
• Wednesday 15^th March
• Thursday 16^th March

Parents of children who are required to attend school will be contacted directly.

Children who are not able to be at school because of the industrial action will be not be marked as absent and it will not affect their attendance. We recommend that children spend their time purposefully with activities such as reading, practising counting and times table facts or even baking.

Understandably no remote learning will be set by teachers when industrial action is taking place.

This information could change at any time and I will communicate with you at the earliest opportunity if this is the case.

Thank you very much for your understanding.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs H. Shaw

Head Teacher