10 Reasons

10 reasons teachers are on strike today:

1. School budgets are being cut by 8% (in real terms) - in a small secondary school that could be £500k with little warning.
2. Teachers are being made redundant - including the good ones.
3. TAs are being made redundant - reducing the provision for weaker or SEND students.
4. Class sizes are getting bigger - less chance of any 1:1 attention.
5. Workload is increasing - teaching time/marking etc... something has to give.
6. No money for CPD or training - no chance to improve unless you do it in your own time with your own money.
7. No money for resources - with new GCSEs and A-Levels beginning which will be harder and more academically rigorous.
8. Less money for photocopying, glue sticks, exercise books - it will be BYO everything very soon.
9. Less subject choice for students - some schools do not give 'options' at GCSE anymore.
10. Less vocational / arts teaching - it's all about a focus on Progress 8.

The public, and particularly parents, need to be aware of what is happening in schools. They need to understand why their kids' schools may not be able to provide the same high standards, or choice, of education. Schools will need to ask parents for more and more money to bridge the gap in funding. It's happening, it's real.

Education cannot improve, let alone thrive, in these circumstances.

• Read about my current school's financial problems <here>
• Some schools are suffering more than others with this. If yours is not so bad - you are fortunate!