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West Berkshire schools closed as teachers walk out in first of seven strike days




A number of West Berkshire schools are closed today (Wednesday) as teachers walk out for the first of seven planned strike days.

Some schools are open to crucial exam year groups or children of key workers, while others have reinstated online lessons for the day.

In a letter to parents The Downs School, in Compton, said it hoped to "run the school day as usual" but added that it thought this was "unlikely, and adaptations are likely to be required".

Teachers' strike
Teachers' strike

"We will endeavour to keep face-to-face learning for exam years and a provision for our critical workers, plus a provision for remote learning at the least" it added.

Park House School, in Newbury, said it expected to remain open to Years 7, 10, 11, 12 and 13 only, with Years 8 and 9 able to access remote learning for the day.

St Bartholomew's School, in Newbury, is remaining open for Years 12 and 13, with all other years being set some lessons remotely during the day.

In a letter to parents the school said due to the "scale of anticipated staff absences" a partial closure of the school on "health and safety grounds" was necessary.

West Berkshire Council has confirmed the following schools will be closed today:

St Bartholomew's School (sixth form open),

Bradfield Church of England Primary School,

Brookfields Special School (primary year groups,

Beedon Church of England Controlled Primary School (Years 1 and 2),

Calcot Infant School and Nursery,

Calcot Junior School,

Curridge Primary School,

Denefield School (partially open),

Falkland Primary School (Year 3),

Hungerford Primary School,

Inkpen Primary School (one class, Years 5 and 6 closed),

John O'Gaunt School (open to invited only),

Kennet School,

Little Heath School (Years 11 and 13 only),

Long Lane Primary School,

John Rankin Infant and Nursery School,

John Rankin Junior School,

Kennet Valley Primary School,

Kintbury St Marys Church of England Primary School,

Long Lane Primary School,

Park House School (Years 8 and 9 are remote learning),

Parsons Down Partnership of Schools: Infant and Junior,

Purley Church of England Primary School,

Springfield Primary School,

Spurcroft Primary School (Years 3, 4 and 6 closed, open to vulnerable children),

Shaw-cum-Donnington Church of England Primary School (Year 4 closed),

Stockcross Church of England School,

Streatley Church of England Voluntary Controlled School (Years 1 and 2),

iCollege Intervention and Independence units,

The Willink School (Years 11 and 13 open),

St John The Evangelist Infant and Nursery School (one class each in Y1 and Y2 closed),

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (closed to Nursery, Reception and Year 2 pupils),

St Nicolas Church of England Junior School (4N and 6N closed),

Thatcham Park CE Primary School Primary (Nursery and Stepping Stones open),

The Castle School (open classes are: Blaise, Pembroke, Chillingham, Dover, Totnes, Carisbrooke, Plympton, Dunnota),

The Downs School (Year 11 and sixth form open),

The Winchcombe School (open classes are Seedlings, Oak, Elm, Willow, Chestnut, Rowan, Sycamore, Speech and Language Unit),

Theale Green School (Years 11 to 13 are open),

Trinity School (open to Years 11 to 13 and vulnerable children),

Westwood Farm Infant School (Nursery and Year 2 closed),

Westwood Farm Junior School (Years 3 and 4 closed),

Whitelands Park Primary School (open for vulnerable children).

Nationwide close to 24,000 schools are expected to be affected by the industrial action by the NEU – Britain's largest education union – which has chosen February 1 as the first date of seven national and regional strikes between now and March.

The NEU says 'anyone who values education' should support striking teachers who are standing up for schools where teachers are leaving in droves – a third within five years of qualifying. The NEU has also revealed it has received 40,000 new sign-ups to the union since the teacher strikes were announced a fortnight ago.



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