Schools face five days of strikes in summer term and possible action into autumn

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. However, if we disrupt exam classes I feel that we will lose some credit there.” Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “As this Education Secretary appears not to care about the run-down and demoralised education system, the NEU will be stepping up our campaign for fair pay for teachers.” He added: “If the Government does not resolve the current pay dispute the NEU will re-ballot members for a renewed mandate for further industrial action in the next academic year. “What has been offered so far is clearly nothing short of insulting as our ballot showed, with an overwhelming 98% of teacher members in England rejecting the offer.” We are aware that there will be speculation about whether we will move to a formal ballot on industrial action, a step we have not yet taken because we have been focused on trying to resolve this situation through negotiation Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has said the teaching union’s rejection of the pay offer will result in “more disruption for children and less money for teachers”, adding that it is “extremely disappointing”. After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and with exams fast approaching, it is unforgiveable that the NEU are re-balloting for more strike action up until Christmas this year DfE spokeswoman Among members who voted to reject the offer, 69% said “inadequacy” of the additional funding provided to schools for the 2023/24 pay award was the “most significant factor” in their decision to vote against the deal. “This is certainly an option that will be discussed but we would emphasise that no decision on this front has been taken in either direction.” A Department for Education spokeswoman said: “After costing children almost a week of time in the classroom and with exams fast approaching, it is unforgiveable that the NEU are re-balloting for more strike action up until Christmas this year.” She added: “The offer was funded, including major new investment of over half-a-billion pounds, and helps tackle issues teachers are facing like workload.