Staff set to strike at Bath independent school
Teachers at Bath's Royal High School are due to take action in a row over pensions
Last updated 10th Feb 2022
Staff at an independent all girls school in Bath are due to go on strike today (February 10) in a row over pensions.
Royal High School is one of 23 across the country involved; all of which are run by the Girls’ Day School Trust.
In total 1,500 teachers are due to take part, all of whom are members of the National Education Union (NEU).
The action will be the first in the Trust's 149-year history.
A statement from the NEU claims the Trust has proposed to remove its teaching staff at the independent schools in question, from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS).
"If this were to go ahead, teachers will be at least 20% worse off on average in terms of the annual amount they receive in pension payments," the NEU says.
"The Trust has been unable and unwilling to demonstrate any financial imperative for this decision.
"What is in the public domain shows Trust finances to be in good health."
Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “The Girls’ Day School Trust has no justification in its plan to slash the pensions of its teaching staff.
"This will be a disaster for staff, for future recruitment and for pupils.
“Teachers always take strike action with a heavy heart, which is why this extraordinary mandate should give the Trust pause.
"Members are angry and determined to defend what is rightfully theirs.
"These are committed and hard-working staff who have been pushed to the point of taking action, the like of which the Girls’ Day School Trust has never seen.
"Teachers’ strength of feeling is unwavering."
Royal High School has told us it won't comment, but in a statement the chief executive of the Trust Cheryl Giovannoni, says they "care deeply" about their teachers.
"Sadly, the increase to the TPS employer costs has had a severe impact on our expenditure and has put us in a very difficult position," she said.
"We understand the strength of feeling amongst our teachers over this issue and of course the concerns raised by our parents.
"We care deeply about our teachers and would not have put forward these proposals unless we felt they were absolutely necessary to support the long-term sustainability of the GDST family of schools, enabling us to continue to provide an excellent and affordable independent education for our students, and at the same time ensuring teachers have a comfortable retirement."
Going on, Ms Giovannoni says a 43 percent rise in employer contributions to the TPS brought in by the government in 2019, has led many schools to consider leaving the pension scheme.
"The government has covered this rise in full for the maintained sector, including our two academies, but independent schools must deal with this additional burden on their own," she says.
"We are proposing a strong alternative pension scheme, with a 20 percent employer contribution alongside other benefits.
"The flexible pension plan the GDST is proposing will provide greater scope for a total reward package, including pay.
"We know how much our teachers care about our students and many have wrestled with the decision to strike.
"We are disappointed that the NEU has called for strike action while GDST Trustees are still considering all feedback gathered during the collective consultation process."
A final decision on what will happen is due to be made in the final week of February, but the NEU says that is too late.
"Strike action on 10 February will send a clear message to parents and the wider public that the GDST is taking the wrong path," the union says.
"We call on the Council of the Girls' Day School Trust to unconditionally withdraw the proposal to leave the Teachers’ Pension Scheme now, not later.
"That is the surest way to settle this matter and avert strike action.”
The 23 independent schools involved are:
Blackheath High School, London; Brighton Girls, Brighton; Bromley High School, London; Croydon High School, London; Howell's School, Llandaff, Cardiff; Kensington Prep School, London; Newcastle High School for Girls, Newcastle; Northampton High School, Northampton; Northwood College for Girls, London; Norwich High School for Girls, Norwich; Notting Hill & Ealing High School, London; Nottingham Girls' High School, Nottingham; Oxford High School, Oxford; Portsmouth High School, Portsmouth; Putney High School, London; Royal High School Bath, Bath; Sheffield Girls', Sheffield; Shrewsbury High School, Shrewsbury*; South Hampstead High School, London; Streatham & Clapham High School, London; Sutton High School, London; Sydenham High School, London; Wimbledon High School, London.
Those asterisked will not take part in the strike days planned for 23 February and 24 February due to it being half term in their area.