Strike action is planned for Tuesday 3rd June, Tuesday 10th June, Wednesday 11th June, Tuesday 17th, Wednesday 18th, and Thursday 9th June 2025. There will be pickets at the schools from 7.30 am until 9am on each of these days.
The industrial action follows OGAT’s proposal to extend the school day by 30 minutes, across its 28 secondary schools. This change would increase weekly teaching time significantly impacting staff workload and wellbeing.
The proposed changes are being implemented without proper consultation of the workforce and the NEU believes will lead to increased workload, stress, reduced planning time, a deterioration in work-life balance for teachers and support staff and issues over the retention and recruitment of teachers.
Nick Raine, Senior Regional Officer East Midlands Region said:-
“Staff at Outwood Grange Academy Newbold, Chesterfield are strongly committed to the pupils and community they serve. They do not take strike action lightly and have been forced into this position by an employer that simply will not listen. They join colleagues across 14 schools in the East Midlands and wider country who will stand together against an employer unwilling to listen and determined to push through changes that will increase workload against the wishes of their staff.
Our members believe that these proposed changes are detrimental to both staff and pupils and are unwise and unwarranted. They also come at a time when our schools face cuts to their budgets and increased pressure on resources. The NEU believes that Outwood Grange Academy Trust management need to consult with staff and listen to their genuine concerns. Teachers already have a huge workload which is having significant impact on the retention of staff in schools across the Trust. We believe that by pushing ahead with these changes and ignoring their staff, OGAT will make matters even worse and teachers may well look elsewhere or move to other local schools as a result of these changes. The Trust must realise that these changes are deeply unpopular and hundreds of teachers will strike against them across the country.
There is still time to avoid industrial action and the NEU remains committed to negotiating a satisfactory outcome for all parties to avoid several days of strike action in June and potentially more going forward. For the sake of staff and pupils, Outwood Grange Academy Trust need to listen to their staff and sit down and negotiate with the union”