Dear parents,

The NEU will be taking strike action on

• Wednesday 1st February
• Thursday 2nd March
• Wednesday 15th March
• Thursday 16th March

The strike is happening because of a national dispute between the unions and the government and not because of any issues at our school.

I am writing to inform you that William Patten will be closed on Wednesday 1^st February.  We are asking you not to send your child into school on this day.

We remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our pupils, and feel that we would be unable to provide this with the staff we have available.

I wanted to make sure you have all the dates in advance and make clear the reasons why teachers have felt it necessary to take this action. It is not just about pay and conditions. The recent pay rises, although welcome, were unfunded, meaning that schools with already over stretched budgets are having to find ways to find the extra money needed. Energy bills are also increasing with little or no support and the cost of resources such as paper, books and food have increased dramatically.

I know this strike could impact you, but this is a decision the teachers have not taken lightly. I hope you understand that they are doing this to protect your child’s future and this is not just about pay, teachers are striking against the national education policy and resourcing in schools.

We are working closely with our staff union representative to keep up to date with the situation, and I will inform you as soon as possible if arrangements change.

There could be more strikes on the dates above if an agreement is not reached and I would advise that you start to make provisional alternative arrangements for your child for these dates in case we are closed.

If you have any questions, please do contact me via email.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

Best wishes

Karen