Cambridge sixth form teachers stage fourth day of strikes over pay
It's over a pay dispute with the government
Teachers at sixth form colleges across the country - including in Cambridge - are into a fourth day of strikes.
National Education Union members at 32 sixth form colleges across the country are walking out over a 5.5% pay rise.
The dispute arose from the government’s decision to fund the increase for academised sixth form colleges but not for non-academised ones; the NEU argues creates an unfair "two-tier system" within the sector.
Jack Chalk is one teacher who's previously taken part in the strikes:
"It's now a situation where you have one school which is labelled as an academy or a sixth form college, and now the pay rate is different between the two institutions despite the fact you're effectively doing the same job," he said.
"Unfortunately we seem to have been deliberately left off the changes Labour have made and it feels like we've been singled out because we're a very small part of the sector."
The NEU is planning to hold further strikes on January 7, 8 and 9 in cities like London and Manchester - as well as in Cambridge and Luton in the Eastern region - unless a deal can be struck with the government.
Mr Chalk, who teaches maths at Hills Road Sixth Form College, has said the strikes have had an impact on his students.
"It does affect our students quite heavily and at a sixth form college, our students are in year 12 or 13, they're working hard towards their A- Levels and we are not in a position to be able to support them as well as we should be doing," he added.
"A lot of people felt when the announcement was made that it was an oversight because we're so small, but it's not a lot of money compared to the education budget overall because there's under 50 or so sixth form colleges left now."
A government spokesperson said: "We have increased funding for education significantly, and pay decisions for staff are the responsibility of individual sixth form colleges.
"The government remains committed to ensuring high standards across all sectors of education."