'Save our pensions!' say strikers
Teachers and union representatives are in Newbury town centre today (Thursday) to demonstrate why they are striking
WEST Berkshire's teachers are out in force in Newbury today (Thursday) to demonstrate their objections towards the Government's proposed changes to their pensions.
By 11.30am today, about 30 teacher and union representatives had gathered outside St Nicolas Church to inform members of the public about why they are taking industrial action.
On a day deeded as “Black Thursday” because of the mass strikes around the country, which have also affected 41 schools in West Berkshire and three in North Hampshire, local teachers have said they want people to understand that striking is a last resort option for them, and so they have spent this morning in town waving placards with slogans such as 'Save our Pensions' and, in reference to Government ministers, 'Do not let these public school boys destroy our state education'. They have also been distributing leaflets and intend to do so until 3pm this afternoon.
The action, involving members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT), came in response to the Government's announcement to increase teachers' pension contributions from 6.4 per cent to 9.8 per cent and raise the retirement age to aged 68.
It has resulted in hundreds of pupils across the country missing out on a day of education.
One protester, Carly Prout, an English teacher at Park House School, Newbury, said: “We are here today with the hope that we can share some information with members of the public about what the risks are to education from the proposal.
“We want to get people to see it from a personal human level.
“There has been a mixed reaction from people – there have been quite a few people who feel uncomfortable with striking but we found that there are others who feel that what we are doing is very important.”
Sarah Jones (pictured), teacher at the Winchombe School, Newbury said: “First of all, we really didn't want to come out on strike but we feel we are being ram raided by the Government who won't sit down and negotiate with us properly.
“We feel we need to stand up for our pensions before they are destroyed.”
Division secretary of the NUT, Keith Watts, said that the ideal outcome from today's strike would be for the Government to negotiate the teachers' pensions properly.
However, he said: “If the Government remains as it is and won't value the pension scheme then it's quite possible that there will be another strike; but we very much hope that won't happen.
“Not having teachers in the long term will have an effect on education – it will be ludicrous.”
Nineteen schools in West Berkshire have been forced to close completely today and 22 are only open to some pupils after many teachers walked out. See the list below of schols affected locally.
Click on the forum link on the left to join the debate about pensions. Or telephone Tanya Haji if you are a teacher or pupil parent affected by the industrial action on (01635) 564541 or email tanya.haji@newburynews.co.uk
Schools in West Berkshire that will be fully closed today (Thursday) include:
Chieveley Primary School, Chieveley
Long Lane Primary School, Tilehurst
Westwood Farm Infant School, Tilehurst
Springfield Primary School, Tilehurst
Whitelands Park Primary School, Thatcham
Kennet Valley Primary School, Calcot
Pangbourne Primary School, Pangbourne
Aldermaston Primary School, Aldermaston
Enborne Primary School, Enborne
Shaw-cum-Donnington Primary School, Donnington
Mortimer St John's Infant School, Mortimer
Mortimer St Mary's Junior School, Mortimer
Welford and Wickham Primary School, Wickham
Woolhampton Primary School, Woolhampton
St Finians Primary School, Cold Ash
The Winchcombe School, Newbury
Little Heath School, Tilehurst
Theale Green Community School, Theale
Denefield School, Tilehurst
Brookfields School, Tilehurst
Schools that will be partially closed include:
Inkpen Primary School, Inkpen
Kennet School, Thatcham
Trinity School, Shaw
Speenhamland Primary School, Newbury
John Rankin Infant and Nursery School, Newbury
Francis Baily Primary School, Thatcham
Birch Copse Primary School, Tilehurst
Westwood Farm Junior School, Tilehurst
Robert Sandilands Primary School and Nursery, Newbury
Falkland Primary School, Newbury
Fir Tree Primary School and Nursery, Newbury
Park House School, Newbury
Parsons Down Infant School, Thatcham
Downsway Primary School, Tilehurst
Parsons Down Junior School, Thatcham
Calcot Junior School, Calcot
Spurcroft Primary School, Thatcham
Lambourn Primary, Lambourn
Bradfield Primary School, Bradfield
St Nicolas' Junior School, Newbury
The Willink School, Burghfield Common
St Bartholomew's School, Newbury
The Downs School, Compton
North Hampshire schools affected by the
industrial action include:
The Hurst Community College, Baughurst (closed)
St Martin's Primary School, East End (partially closed)
Kingsclere Primary School (closed)
