Sixth Form teacher across the UK are calling for the same pay rise that other teachers have been awarded.
Earlier this year the government announced that teachers and education leaders would receive a 5.5% pay rise, and although academized sixth forms have been included in this rise, others haven’t.
Seven sixth forms in Greater Manchester have taken part in the planned strike action by the National Education Union, including Bolton Sixth Form College.
A-Level History and Law teacher, Jennifer Firth, participated in the strikes last week and insisted teachers don’t want to be outside of the classroom.
She said: “The government needs to listen, so we have to take action.”
Jennifer thinks that there is no “logical reason” why they haven’t been included in the pay rise and says the government “haven’t communicated why sixth forms have been left out.”
Other staff from Bolton Sixth Form also came together for the strike, including Melody Ramson, the curriculum leader, who had been outside since 7am on Thursday morning.
Melody said: ‘we’re not asking for more than anyone else, more than that 5.5%. We just want that 5.5%”
The Department of Education spokesperson has responded to the strikes:
“Sixth form colleges are responsible for the setting of appropriate pay for their workforce and for managing their own industrial relations.”
“The October Budget provided an additional £300 million revenue funding for further education to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.”
More strikes are planned across the UK next week, and the National Education Union has said that non-academized colleges will walk out for three consecutive days between January 7th and January 9th.