Schools across Scotland were closed today as teachers began strike action (Tuesday 10 January), whilst teachers elsewhere in the UK continue to vote on whether to strike as part of their on going pay dispute.

Unions have warned if a deal with the government cannot be achieved, then schools in England and Wales could close for several days over the next few months.

Teachers strike in Scotland

Members of four teaching unions have started a national teachers’ strike in Scotland, the first taking place on 10 January targeting primary schools, followed by secondary schools the following day on 11 January.

In the following weeks, every school in Scotland will face a further strike.

Could teachers in England and Wales go on strike?

This week, teachers across England and Wales will cast their vote on whether or not to strike, and should the industrial action go ahead, thousands of schools could be affected.

Over the next week several strike ballot results will be announced:

• The NASUWT ballot, covering staff in schools and sixth form colleges in England and Wales, closed on 9 January
• The NAHT union represents head teachers and other school leaders in England and Wales. Its ballot closes on 11 January
• The NEU is the largest education union in the UK, with 300,000 members in England and Wales, although not all are teachers. Its ballot closes on 13 January
• The ASCL, representing school and college leaders, has consulted its members and is deciding whether to hold a formal ballot

What is the reason behind the teachers strike?

It is about one thing - pay.

Unions are arguing that teaching salaries have dropped in relation to inflation, but the government is unwilling to fund the pay rise the unions are demanding.

In Scotland, teachers rejected a 5% increase, arguing for 10%. A further offer designed to prevent the strikes before Christmas included rises of up to 6.85% for the lowest paid. But the EIS - Scotland's largest teaching union - dismissed the deal as "insulting".

Most state-school teachers in England and Wales had a 5% rise in 2022, but NEU members want a pay rise of 12%.

Unions argue that teachers’ pay has fallen by 24% since 2010 due to inflation, and with inflation above 10% this means these increases are really pay cuts.

A key factor in the dispute is the government’s refusal to provide funding to cover these pay increases, instead these would need to come from existing school budgets. Unions want schools to be given extra money to cover these pay increases, however they have also said it would consider a pay rise of 9% should the government fully fund it.

In 2016, a strike by the National Union of Teachers’ left an estimated 7,000 of England’s 22,000 state schools closed or partly closed for the day. The strike was in protest at teacher workload pressures as well as pressures on funding that led some schools to lay off staff despite pupil numbers rising.

A further strike in 2017 by London teachers took place over budget cuts.

How much do teachers get paid?

The Teachers’ Pay Scale is a scale designed by the Department of Education and Skills that allocates different teachers to different bands based on position, experience, and location. The 2022/2023 pay rates for teachers were announced in October 2022 and were backdated to the start of the academic year.

By September 2023 the starting salary for teachers in England is due to rise to £30,000, currently it’s £28,000. This will be higher for teachers working in London.

State school classroom teachers in England were paid an average of £38,982 in the 2021/22 school year. This compares with £39,009 in Wales and £40,026 in Scotland.

The average head teacher's salary in England for the same period was £74,095, and £57,117 for other senior leaders.

Speaking on LBC radio last month, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan stated teaching is a good career and probably within the top 10% of earners in some parts of the country. She hopes teachers do not vote to strike but understands that it is their right.

How would the strikes affect school children?

If the teachers go ahead with the strikes, schools across England and Wales might close for a number of days from the beginning of February until mid-March.

In Scotland, local councils decide. In England, it's up to head teachers - there are no minimum staffing rules.

The unions are understood to be coordinating their strikes, which would take place across several days in February and March.

What has the government said?

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “There are no great schools without great teachers, which is why we are making the highest pay awards in a generation – 5% for experienced teachers and more for those early in their careers, including an 8.9% increase to starting salary.”

“We are also investing an additional £2 billion in schools next year and £2 billion the year after, taking school funding to its highest ever level.”

“After two years of disrupted education for young people, strike action is simply not a reasonable solution.”

“Union leaders have been invited to meet with ministers on Monday to have honest conversations about what is responsible and what is affordable for our country when it comes to pay.”

What have teaching unions said?

The NEU’s general secretary, Kevin Courtney, told the Observer: “We are urging all members to use their democratic right to vote. I think we are going to pass the threshold but there is a chance we won’t. I would urge every member who has a ballot form to return it. We will call on members in all schools in England and Wales to strike – many would have to close.”

He added: “I think parents are starting to pick up the day-to-day situation in schools – that their child’s maths teacher might never have acquired a maths qualification, that there is such a rapid turnover of teachers all the time, that there is a lot of disruption.

“We are preparing leaflets to go to parents, getting parents to do videos. Information will be circulated via Facebook. Leaflets will be distributed at school gates. There will be lots of campaign events.”

Results from the ballots are expected on 16 January. Under legislation introduced by the Tory government in 2017, for the strike to go ahead, it needs a 50% turnout rate, with 40% of eligible staff backing strikes to call a walkout. If teachers vote to strike, they will join paramedics, nurses, postal and rail workers, as well as Border Force staff, who are all walking out this month.