Teacher strikes could disrupt end-of-year school trips and sports days – poll

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The planned teacher strikes next month could disrupt sports days, school trips and transition days for pupils, a survey suggests. A poll by Teacher Tapp, of 6,952 school teachers in England, found that 14% said their school has planned sports days on one of the two strike days. It may put teachers in difficult positions, as these are one-off experiences for students that are difficult to replicate Laura McInerney, chief executive of Teacher Tapp Nearly two in five secondary school teachers said transition days – in which Year 6 pupils visit their new secondary schools ahead of their official start date in September – are planned on those dates. “On the one hand, putting strike actions on these days may make the disruption more noticeable; on the other hand it may put teachers in difficult positions, as these are one-off experiences for students that are difficult to replicate.” Only the Government can avert further strikes and repair the damage to the education system, and that requires a commitment to a decent and fully funded pay award Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “We regret the disruption caused to education by our strikes and we support the rearrangement of transition days where possible – as some local authorities are considering.