TEACHERS' across Dorset are set to strike this week in a dispute with the government over pay. 

On Wednesday, February 1, teachers who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) will embark on what is planned to be the first of several days of strike action over the coming months. 

Picket lines will form outside many school gates across the county as school staff and leadership unions campaign for pay increases in line with current inflation, while raising concerns about school budgets, given rising costs.

The matter of whether a school will close will differ depending on the school involved and the number of staff who are involved in strike action. 

It is estimated that 23,000 schools in England and Wales will be affected by the first set of strike action, which will include more than 100,000 teachers. 

Ahead of the talks Mark Chutter, NEU President for Dorset said: "The strikes are not just about pay but about our conditions as a teacher in this country.

"We should demand to be treated with the respect that we deserve . We work long hours and workload is significant.

"Our pay has not increased and staff are leaving the profession. We owe our unionism to the Tolpuddle Martyrs who fought for justice."

Last-ditch talks between union officials and the Education Secretary Gillian Keegan were held on Monday afternoon to prevent the strikes from going ahead but these broke down. 

Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint NEU general secretaries said: "Gillian Keegan has squandered an opportunity to avoid strike action on Wednesday.

“The Government has been unwilling to seriously engage with the causes of strike action.

“Real-terms pay cuts and cuts in pay relativities are leading to a recruitment and retention crisis with which the Education Secretary so far seems incapable of getting a grip.

“Training targets are routinely missed, year on year. This is having consequences for learning, with disruption every day to children’s education."

One school in Dorchester has confirmed that they will be running a restricted attendance on the strike day. 

In a letter to parents and carers, the headteacher at Thomas Hardye School, Nick Rutherford, said: "Due to the number of NEU staff at The Thomas Hardye School, attendance will be restricted on those dates. 

"The school will be prioritising: 
• Vulnerable pupils 
• The children of critical workers. 

"We, therefore, ask you to make alternative childcare arrangements, where needed, for these dates. 

"We apologise for the inconvenience this may mean to you and to your child’s education, and we hope the dispute can be resolved as soon as possible."

The school added that not all staff would be taking part in the industrial action. For those who will be working will set work for students via Microsoft Teams. 

The teachers will also be available to speak to, during the period or after for any questions. 

Matt Roberts, a teacher at Dorchester Middle School, said: "I have been in the job for more than 25 years and I have seen the good and the not-so-good. Funding plays a significant part in how teachers feel and how schools carry out duties. 

"It is becoming an overwhelming challenge. The job has changed it is more challenging. Teachers are leaving rather than joining."

The NEU strike day of action coincides with the Dorset Trades Union Council's (TUC) rally.

The TUC will be organising an event on Weymouth seafront next to the Jubilee Clock to protest new anti-strike legislation proposals from the government. 

A list of closed schools in Dorset is available at the Dorset Council website at https://mapping.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/closedservices/Service/schools