Members of the National Education Union (NEU) are taking industrial action on Wednesday 1st February. The dispute is with the Secretary of State for Education with regards to the NEU view that there has been a:

‘failure to provide a fully funded above-inflation pay rise (as measured by September 2022 RPI). A fully funded pay rise is one that is funded by additional resources sufficient to provide the above-inflation pay rise’  - (NEU ballot paper).  

We have assessed the impact of the strike action and consulted with the Highlands School Governing Body and have decided that we will be closed to all students apart from some students in years 9 and 10 who can come in for their mid-year exams and then go home. We have written to families of students in years 9 and 10, so they know if and when they are coming in. 

All students in years 7, 8, 11 and the sixth form should not come to school.

All members of staff who are not in the NEU have been asked to set work in the Google Classroom for their classes so most students should have work they can complete whilst at home on the strike day. However, members of staff on strike may not set online work, meaning not all students will have work set for all four lessons that they would normally have on a Wednesday. 

Please note that the NEU has three more days of industrial action planned that will affect London schools. If those days of action go ahead we will write to you the week before to inform you of how it will affect Highlands. 

Those dates are: 

• Thursday 2nd March 

• Wednesday 15th March 

• Thursday 16th March