Strike shuts county schools

Apr 25 2008 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

PUPILS at Tarporley, Bishop Heber and Frodsham high schools were among 30,000 Cheshire students affected by striking teachers yesterday.

More than 1,000 teachers abandoned their classes across Cheshire in support of a better pay deal.

The one-day strike by the NUT – with the threat of more to come – closed, or partially closed, 96 primary, secondary and special schools in the county.

But 226 were unaffected.

More than 40 teachers at Malpas, Tarporley and Frodsham went on strike and the Chester Catholic High School was also among other secondary schools hit.

Bishop Heber High School headteacher David Curry said on his school website: “With 21 of our teaching staff involved in this action, it will not be possible to open school normally for all students and after discussion with the chair of governors I have decided to close the school for years 7-10.”

He said years 11, 12 and 13 who are at a critical stage of their education would attend as normal.

Greg Foster, president of Cheshire NUT and West Cheshire association secretary, said if society valued education it should pay teachers the going-rate.

Better pay would help to recruit and retain teachers by rewarding them, especially given the increasing work-load due to paperwork and the need to meet central Government targets.

The union representative resents the claim strike action will harm children saying members put the pupils first, including volunteering to run after-school and revision clubs.