Teachers strike: is your school closed today (March 15)? How to check

The strikes, which began March 1, have so far seen tens of thousands of teachers striking in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) voted for industrial action in England and Wales, while teachers in Scotland also voted on March 1.

However, the strike action in Wales has now been called off following a revised salary offer from the Welsh Government.

So how do you know if your school is closed and what to do? Here’s how to find out.

Who decides whether schools close?

In England, the decision to close is left to individual school heads.

However, in Wales, school leaders are consulting local authorities and in Scotland they are liaising with local councils before deciding whether schools can remain open.

dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said the Department of Education was “completely disingenuous in suggesting we are unwilling to engage in talks”.

They added: “What we cannot accept are preconditions that force us to halt strike action before we have made progress through negotiations to settle this dispute. The only reason Gillian Keegan even came to the table is because of the NEU’s winning election result.

“We want to settle this dispute in the interests of teachers and children’s education. However, such a solution will not come about without goodwill on both sides.’

Are schools closed near me?

England

Many schools across England are closed during the NEU strikes.

Bedfordshire

Buckinghamshire

School status in Buckinghamshire can be viewed with an updated list showing which schools in the county are closed or partially closed and will be available first on strike days.

Cornwall

On strike days, Cornwall Council does not publish a list of schools affected, saying: “It is a matter that needs to be managed by individual schools, which should be communicating with parents about any potential disruption.”

Cambridgeshire

A full list of all schools and their expected status on strike days can be found here.

County Durham

On strike days, a full list of affected schools can be found on the Durham County Council website.

Cumbria

Pupils and parents of schools in Cumbria can find a list of affected schools here.

Derbyshire

Council has a list of schools in Derbyshire that are closed or partially closed on strike days.

devonian

A full list of schools affected on strike days can be found on the Devon County Council website.

Dorset

A current list of closed and partially closed schools in Dorest is available here.

East Sussex

On strike days, school status is issued in East Sussex County Council at 3.30pm the day before industrial action begins.

It is also recommended to check each school’s website for advance information. You can find a list here.

Essex

A list of school closures will be published on the Essex County Council website at 6pm the day before.

In the meantime, it is recommended to contact the individual school for more information.

Gloucestershire

On strike days, a full list of affected schools, which is updated regularly, can be found on Gloucestershire County Council’s website.

Hampshire

A full list, which will be updated as individual schools notify Council, is available on the Hampshire County Council website.

Herefordshire

Herefordshire County Council currently only offers a live system showing whether a school is currently open or closed. The advice is to check with individual schools.

kent

Kent County Council offers a search tool to see if a school is currently open or closed. Parents are advised to check with individual schools.

Lancashire

On strike days, Lancashire County Council publishes a detailed list showing which schools will be affected by the strikes and how.

Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire County Council does not list the affected schools on its website. So again, contact each school for more information.

London

You can check the status of a school with individual schools or your local authority – links to their websites can be found here:

Merseyside

Merseyside County Council’s website does not have a full list of affected schools. Therefore, contact the individual schools for more information.

Norfolk

On strike days Norfolk County Council does not currently have a list of affected schools so it is advisable to check with individual schools.

Northamptonshire

North Northamptonshire County Council and West Northamptonshire County Council will not offer lists on strike days and says it is up to individual schools to notify parents.

Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire County Council does not give any information on the relevant strike days on the council website, so you will need to contact the individual schools for information.

Northumberland

A list of school closures is posted on the Northumberland County Council website on strike days.

Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire Council says it will not give advance warning of strike action on its website and is asking parents to “wait for advice from their child’s school”.

Shropshire

A full list of schools being partially or fully closed due to strikes is available on Shropshire County Council’s website.

Somerset

A complete and regularly updated list can be found on the Somerset County Council website.

Staffordshire

The list of school closures can be found on the Staffordshire County Council website.

suffolk

Suffolk County Council is advising parents to check individual school websites for information about strikes.

surrey

On strike days, Surrey County Council does not provide a list and asks parents to check each school’s website.

Sussex

East Sussex County Council will update its list after 3.30pm the day before strikes.

However, it is recommended to contact individual schools.

Warwickshire

A list of partial and total school closures can be found on the Warwickshire Council website here.

Wiltshire

Wiltshire Council does not appear to be releasing a list of school closures so parents should contact individual schools.

Worcestershire

Details of school closures can be found on the Worcestershire County Council website.

Yorkshire

The advice for strike days is to check with individual schools in Yorkshire as to their status.

Wales

Strikes in Wales called off after a revised salary offer. However, these municipal websites contain information about future school closures:

On strike days, you should ask individual schools whether they will be closed.

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