THOUSANDS of schoolchildren will be forced to stay at home tomorrow as teachers in Kirklees join the national day of strike action.
Hundreds of Kirklees schools say they will either close or partially close because of the walk-out by around 2,000 members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL).
That will mean many families will have to make special arrangements to care for children. Many of the affected schools are primary ones, and overall half of all Kirklees schools will be hit in some way or another.
Hazel Danson, of Kirklees NUT, who is a member of its National Executive, said the government had not left teachers with any other option but to display their anger against “vicious and unnecessary attacks on their pensions”.
“We are very aware of the disruption which this causes for children and parents and we don’t take this action lightly.
“But the Government has not left us with any other option and has refused to make any significant move during negotiations.”
The action, endorsed by the NUT Executive and ATL president Andy Brown, follows the campaign against the Government proposals to significantly alter the Teachers Pension Scheme.
They plan to take co-ordinated industrial action with other public sector workers, meaning that up to 750,000 staff could strike tomorrow across the UK.
Teachers say the changes would see them paying more, working longer and getting less for their pensions.
Changes made to the scheme in 2007 saw increased contributions, a rise in retirement age for new entrants and employer contributions capped.
Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT, described the proposals as an “unnecessary attack” on public sector pensions.
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL, warned that the government would be wrong to ignore the threat of action “when even the least militant education union vote to strike”.
Gill Collins, Kirklees branch secretary for the ATL, said that many teachers felt “totally betrayed” by the Government.
“No teacher enters the profession believing they are going to be rich at the end of their career.
“Most accept they will earn less than their peers in other professions, but they do expect in return, a modest and secure pension,” she said.
The Prime Minister insisted yesterday that the Government’s controversial plans to reform public sector pensions were “fair” as he told hundreds of thousands of teachers, lecturers and civil servants they were wrong to go on strike. Teachers are striking after the ATL’s first national strike ballot in its 127-year history with a 36% turnout and 83% voted in favour of strike action. The NUT reported that in a 40% turnout, 92% voted in favour of strike action.
Many after-school events in Kirklees will also be cancelled.
Almondbury I and N School: PARTIALLY CLOSED Nursery and Reception classes (Classes 3 and 6) closed all day; Key Stage 1 (Classes 1, 2 and 4) open as usual.
Almondbury Junior School: CLOSED.
Also affected after-school activities.
Ashbrow Junior School: CLOSED.
Batley Business & Enterprise College: CLOSED.
Batley Girls' High School – Visual Arts College: CLOSED.
Battyeford CE (VC) Primary School: CLOSED.
Berry Brow I and N School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Closed to the children in Nursery (both am and pm sessions) Closed to Badgers.
Birkby I and N School: CLOSED.
Birkby Junior School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Only two classes will be closed on Thursday 30th June. They are 6S & 6F.
Birkdale High School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Open to Year 10 PE Group only.
Birkenshaw F and N School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Galaxy class closed. Remainder of school and Nursery open as normal along with after-school activities/clubs.
Birkenshaw Middle School: CLOSED.
Birstall Community Primary School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Partially closed for year 5/6 and reception classes. School open for years 1,2,3,4 Before- and after-school club will still be open.
Brockholes CE (VC) J and I School: CLOSED.
Brownhill Infant School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Closed for Sunshine Reception class and all of Y1.
Brownhill St Saviour's Junior School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Closed to Classes 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 only.
Bywell CE (C) Junior School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Classes closed are 3KM and 3VS.
Carlinghow Princess Royal J I and N School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Open to years 2, 5 and 6 only.
Castle Hill Specialist College: CLOSED.
Cawley Lane J I and N School: CLOSED.
Chickenley Community J I and N School: CLOSED.
Christ Church Woodhouse CE (VA) J I & EY School: CLOSED.
Clough Head J and I School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Closed to Class 1 and Class 2 pupils only.
Cowlersley Primary School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
School is closed to Early Years and Key Stage 1 children. School is open as usual to Key Stage 2 children and the trip to Oakwell Hall for Years 3 & 4 is going ahead as planned.
Crossley Fields J and I School: CLOSED.
Crow Lane Primary and Foundation Stage School: CLOSED.
Dalton School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
The following classes will still be open Nursery am & pm, Ash, Willow, Holly, Walnut & Magnolia.
Denby Dale Nursery School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Closed to education only children but open for children accessing daycare. Details are as follows: Explorers Room (0 to 3s) – open as usual; Discoverers Room (3s – 4s) – open for daycare children; Breakfast Club & After-School Club – open as usual.
Earlsheaton Infant School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Chips class only will be closed.
Earlsheaton Technology College: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Open to Year 10 for coursework catch-up sessions by arrangement with the teachers concerned. Staff involved with camp will be working normally.
East Bierley CE (VC) First School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Closed to Year 2 only
Fairfield School: CLOSED.
After school activities as normal.
Fartown High School: CLOSED.
Fieldhead J I and N School: CLOSED.
Fixby J and I School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
The following classes will be closed 1W 3/4A 5/6N.
Gilthwaites First School: CLOSED.
Gomersal CE (VC) Middle School: CLOSED.
Gomersal First School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
3 Classes remaining open- Both Y2 Classes and 3 MC Parent’s evening only for classes which remain open.
Gomersal St Mary's CE (VA) F and N School: CLOSED.
Helme CE (VA) J and I School: CLOSED.
Hightown School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Open to years 4 and 5 only.
Hillside Primary School: CLOSED.
Holme J and I School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Class 1 – Closed to pupils; Class 2 - Open.
Holmfirth High School: CLOSED.
Holmfirth J I and N School: CLOSED.
Tiger Club open 8 - 9am and 3.30 - 5.30pm for those children who normally attend on a Thursday.
Honley CE (VC) I and N School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Upper Foundation (only 1 class); Year 1 (only 1 class); Year 2 (only 1 class); please refer to letters sent from school.
Honley CE (VC) Junior School: CLOSED.
Also no choir after school.
Honley High School: CLOSED.
Hyrstmount Junior School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
School is open for classes 2 and 5 all day and for class 9 from 12.55 to 3.10. School will be closed for classes 1,3,4,6,7 and 8.
King James's School: CLOSED.
Kirkburton CE (VA) First School: CLOSED.
Kirkburton Middle School: CLOSED.
Kirkroyds Infant School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
One Year 1 class will not be attending school. One Year 2 class will not attend in the morning, but will be able to attend in the afternoon. The afternoon will be covered by the PPA teacher. This is the normal arrangement.
Lepton CE (VC) J I and N School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Only Nursery is closed. Rest of school operational as normal.
Lindley CE (VA) Infant School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Classes affected 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12. Classes 5 and 11 will attend school as normal.
Littletown J I and N School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Classes 3 and 6 will be open only.
Lowerhouses CE (VC) J I and EY School: CLOSED.
Lydgate J and I School: CLOSED.
Lydgate School: CLOSED.
Meltham Moor Primary School: CLOSED.
Millbridge J I and N School: PARTIALLY CLOSED.
Closed to years 1,2 and 4 only.
