Northampton teacher strikes: “We’re the educators of the politicians, lawyers and doctors of tomorrow”

Today (April 27) is the first of two more days of strike action for teachers across Northamptonshire, who stood on picket lines this morning.

The National Education Union (NEU) announced its members in England would take part in industrial strike action today and next Tuesday (May 2).

Teachers have walked out several times this year and the latest dates are part of a campaign to win a fully-funded, above-inflation pay rise – as members voted to reject the Government’s pay offer.

This newspaper visited one of the many picket lines across the county at Malcolm Arnold Academy, in Trinity Avenue.

Two teachers from Cedar Road Primary School were there, hoping to raise awareness of just how important these strikes are in getting a fair outcome for the education industry.

Selina Smyth, a year six teacher and English lead, said: “Some might argue there was a pay offer of 4.5 percent on the table for us.

“What people might have missed is that four percent of that would have had to be funded by schools – and the budget would have been taken from elsewhere.

“That would have an impact on the children we teach and the resources we have for them, like support staff. It needs to be a fully-funded pay rise.

“We’re the educators of the politicians, lawyers, doctors and research scientists of tomorrow. It all starts at education and the students need quality.”

Selina’s colleague Natalie Lane accompanied her at the picket, who is a year three teacher and has worked in the education sector for 29 years.

Natalie said: “Without quality teachers and us nurturing their young minds, I think the whole system would collapse.

“Firstly we’re fighting for the amount of work we have to do, it’s horrendous. We work 10 to 12 hour days.

“The pay is the second side to it. We’re not getting paid for our extra hours and that would not happen in any other job.”

The pair say it is not just about retaining the teachers already in the sector, but recruiting new ones – which Natalie described as “poor” at the moment.

The year three teacher said: “They’ve seen what the job does to teachers, the stress it causes, and how people leave within five years or less.”

Natalie shared the difficulty they have faced at Cedar Road Primary School in getting people to apply for the jobs advertised.

“We want to see a fair resolution and the aim is to ensure the children of the future have a decent education,” said Selina. “We want to ensure younger teachers coming into the profession have something to aspire to, in terms of pay and conditions but also job satisfaction.”

With almost three decades of experience under her belt, Natalie says she has “loved every minute” of being with the students – but it is the pay and working conditions that have proved “impossible”.

“We would much rather be in the classroom because we love our jobs,” said Natalie. “To see children progress, and to give them the skills they need for the future, is just the best thing in the world.”