'Many, many students have had a very, very disrupted last couple of years because of Covid and I think everything we can do to help them start their lives better through education is really, really important.'

The Foreign Secretary told LBC Radio: 'The best way of minimising disruption to students is for those teachers to be in the classrooms.

However, James Cleverly said a 'good offer' has been made to teachers over pay and workload reduction. We are demanding that this Government invests in this generation of children.' We aren't going to put up with this anymore. We have a high moral purpose and we are going to win.' The NEU's executive is due to meet this month to decide whether to approve three more strike days in late June or early July.ĭelivering a speech to striking teachers at a rally outside Downing Street, he said: 'The only way that the Government can stop it is if they do the right thing and invest in our children. The Government has offered teachers a £1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and an average 4.5 per cent pay rise for staff next year after intensive talks with the education unions. He added that teachers wanted to resolve the dispute before autumn. “If I were Government, I would want to resolve this before they get into that election year because they wouldn't want headteachers and teachers talking to parents, telling the truth about what the situation is in schools where so many schools have stopped teaching computer science.' Speaking to LBC, Mr Courtney said: 'We are coming into an election year. It could mean a coordinated campaign of strikes by up to 400,000 teachers this autumn. The three other major unions also intend to ballot their members. He spoke as thousands of NEU members across England walked out on Tuesday for the sixth day this year, causing major disruption in schools, including for A-Level and GCSE students.Īpproximately 10 per cent of schools are believed to have closed completely.Īs well as a potential three days of strike action in June to mid-July, which were described on Thursday as “very likely”, the NEU plans to ballot members to extend its mandate for industrial action into the autumn. Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, the largest union representing teachers, said coordinated strike action in the months leading up to the election would provide “leverage” in its pay dispute with the Government.

Teaching unions have threatened to cause chaos in schools next academic year in the run-up to the general election.

The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden