Barton Peveril College, Itchen College teachers strike

Staff from Peter Symonds College, Barton Peveril Sixth Form College and Itchen College walked out, gathering outside the Civic Centre in Southampton on Friday to make their voices heard.

Action came after news that the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson could not confirm whether non-academy sixth forms would get funding for staff pay rises.

Academy colleges were promised funding for a 5.5 per cent pay increase.

But the National Education Union – the group behind the strikes - said Ms Phillipson would not clarify whether the same increase would be extended to non-academy sixth forms.

READ MORE: Barton Peveril, Peter Symonds, Itchen College staff to strike

“We all thought it was a mistake to begin with, but the fact that the battle has gone into industrial action just shows they’re trying to take a tough line on unions,” said Graham Childs, president of the West Hampshire District of the NEU.

“What they’re doing is letting down working people and undermining their skills agenda, because while we’re out on strike, kids aren’t being educated.

Mr Childs teaches at Peter Symonds College and said that his students have exams coming up in January.

“It’s a really careful decision whether to go on strike or not, this is really our last resort, we haven’t got much choice.”

Dani Hosford was one of many striking over a pay rise at Civic Centre. (Image: Newsquest) Dani Hosford is a Maths teacher at Barton Peveril College and said that she is ‘fed up’ with having to apologise to her students for going on strike.

“The students are really accepting of it but every day we take is a day less that the students are getting the care and attention that they deserve,” she said.

Elsewhere at Itchen College, English teacher Charlotte Thomas joined a picket line between 8am and 9am today before teaching started.

Itchen College staff took to the picket line before teaching started on December 13. (Image: Newsquest) English teacher, Charlotte Thomas, has been teaching at Itchen for nine years.

READ MORE: Strike dates announced for three big Hampshire colleges

She said: “The main reason I’m striking is because I just want the same pay as other teachers who do the same job – if I was to teach at Oasis Sholing then I would get a pay rise.

“I worry for the future of the college – why would future teachers work here if they get paid more down the road.”

Charlotte Thomas, left, and Hannah Porteous, right, on the picket line at Itchen College. (Image: Newsquest) A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Ensuring people have the skills they need for the future is crucial to this government’s number one mission to grow the economy. We recognise the vital role that further education, including sixth form colleges, play in this.

“Sixth form colleges are responsible for the setting of appropriate pay for their workforce and for managing their own industrial relations.

“The October Budget provided an additional £300m revenue funding for further education to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.”