The ongoing rolling programme of teacher pay strikes are due to continue next week if nothing changes in negotiations between unions and the government.
The National Education Union says strikes will go ahead unless there is 'real progress', adding that they would recommend calling off the strikes this weekend only if a 'serious proposal' was made. The government have said it would only hold formal talks if strikes are called off.
There's a mixed picture across the UK and the situation is changing constantly, so information is best sought from your school, but here's what we know.
Will the strikes happen in England and Wales?
Yes, strikes are due across the north on England on Tuesday, in the Midlands at Eastern region on Wednesday then in Wales and the south of England on Thursday.
School strike dates for England and Wales
Action will take place both nationally and regionally on the following days:
28 February: North and north-west England, Yorkshire and Humber
1 March: East Midlands, West Midlands, and the NEU's eastern region
2 March: South-east and south-west England, and London
15 and 16 March: Two-day strike of all schools in England and Wales
The NEU says any individual school will only be affected on a maximum of four out of the seven dates.
What do the teachers want?
Most state school teachers in England and Wales had a 5% rise this year. But unions argue that, with inflation at 10.7%, these increases amount to a real-terms pay cut.
'Teachers have lost 24% of their pay in real terms since 2010,' said Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU (National Education Union). 'Support staff have lost 27% of their pay in the same period. And that is causing a workforce crisis in schools.'
This week, the Department for Education said it was willing to 'move into formal talks' only if the NEU called off strikes.
Bousted and joint secretary Kevin Courtney said ministers were 'requiring the NEU to give up the only thing that has brought government to the negotiating table, without any assurance that the negotiations are, indeed, serious and in good faith.
They added: 'We are prepared, should the negotiations make real progress, to pause next week's strikes," they said.
'But the government has to show good faith. We ask ministers to drop its preconditions and to begin serious negotiations.'
What dates are the strikes in Scotland?
A full schedule of the strike dates, depending on your local authority, can be found on the Educational Institute of Scotland 's website.
In Scotland, there will be two days of national strikes for all EIS members on Tuesday and Wednesday. There have been and will continue to be a series of targeted strikes in key areas.
Schools within the constituencies of the First Minister, Deputy First Minster, Cabinet Secretary for Education, and COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann are included.
As the Scottish Green Party is a party of the Scottish Government, part of its Education Spokesperson’s (Ross Greer) regional constituency has also been targeted – the part of Clydebank and Milngavie constituency that lies within the East Dunbartonshire Council area.
On March 7th to 9th, there will be strikes in Glasgow Southside, Dunfermline, Perthshire North, the part of Clydebank and Milngavie constituency that lies within the East Dunbartonshire Council area and Mid Galloway & Wigtown West.
Do teachers have public support?
If homeschooling during the Covid pandemic taught us anything, it's that teaching is hard. Many parents feel enormous gratitude and empathy for the job that teachers do, which is often undervalued and underpaid.
'Teachers on picket lines have received very strong support from parents, and this was reinforced by the results of a survey by the National Parent Forum for Scotland which indicates that more than 80% of parents support the ongoing industrial action by teachers,' says Andrea Bradley, general secretary of the EIS. 'Parents understand the value of teachers, and teachers are grateful for the continuing support of parents in our campaign for a fair pay settlement.'
However, with the cost of living crisis, almost everyone is finding their pay is nowhere near increasing to the level of inflation, and some feel that teachers have us over a barrel. Plus many parents can't hear the phrase 'school closures' without shuddering at the memory of lockdown, so their sympathy for teachers may well be tested.
If you want to show support for the strikes, you can do so by visiting picket lines, demonstrations and rallies, sending solidarity messages on social media and by contacting your MP to call for a fair pay deal.
Let us know what you think @TheJuggleUK
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