As thousands of teachers take to the picket lines for the first strike day, leaders at one Greater Manchester primary school have been explaining why the action is needed.
The reason we all hear about why teachers are going on strike is that it's a 'pay dispute', which often gets little sympathy from the public - but those resorting to industrial action as a last resort say it's about much more than that. They say it is about how undervalued they feel as professionals and the lack of investment they claim is as damaging to pupils as it is themselves.
The National Education Union (NEU) says it wants is a fully-funded, above inflation pay increase, following more than a decade of 'real-terms pay cuts'. It says schools cannot be expected to be funding pay rises from their own budgets when that money is needed for resources and experiences for the children who go there.
Read more: The Greater Manchester schools closed on Wednesday as strike action hits classrooms
Darren Morgan, head of Kings Road Primary School in Stretford, Trafford, has been a headteacher for 13 years and a senior leader for more than two decades.
For him, the job has never been as tough as it is now, so much so that his message to any new head would be that 'the role is impossible'. "There are too many things that headteachers are expected to achieve each day, each week and each year," he said.
"I am the proud headteacher of a school that, like most schools, is full of incredible people doing an incredible job, so much more than they are expected to.
"I would say that teaching and school leadership has always been tough, however, with pressures on budgets and vastly increased responsibility, I have never known the role to be as challenging as it is now.
"My advice to new headteachers is that they should quickly come to terms with the fact that the role is impossible; they should rest easy knowing that they have done the best that they can possibly do."
'Teachers are not striking for personal gain'
When the NEU announced the strikes last month, Darren says he met with 'the wonderful and dedicated' teachers at his school and made it clear they had his full support whatever they chose to do. Out of 30 teachers at his school, nine are striking, with those classes closing and school remaining open for those unaffected.
One of those supporting the strike is Year 6 teacher Clare Walls, who says 'a teacher’s decision to strike is seldom just about personal pay'.
"Most teachers that I know are not striking for their own personal gain; in fact, it is more about the impact that the current circumstances are having on their pupils," she said.
"Funding for schools is pitifully inadequate and there is no sign of improvement. This, of course, goes against the government’s claims of real-term cash increases, which are in fact real-term cuts.
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"The reasons are many and vary considerably from the brash headline of 'pay increase'. In the education sector, there is currently a very real and very worrying retention and recruitment crisis.
"Support staff are poorly paid and resources that are needed cannot be purchased due to lack of funding. Services from SEND, mental health and social services have also suffered a detrimental blow in terms of support for pupils. This is having an impact now and it has to stop."
Clare, who has been a teacher for 22 years, says it is a sad reality that 'teachers and support staff are being forced to rely on handouts or foodbanks to help them provide for themselves and their families' - just one of the many other reasons they have decided it's time to make a stand.
"Before we look at the teaching profession and harshly question their motives on a decision that they will not have taken lightly, please think of the other countless reasons that are having a daily impact on the service that they provide for the young people of this country," she said.
"Teaching is a caring profession and they really do not want to disrupt learning for their pupils in any way. However, when left with no option, this is the only hope of change that they currently have.
"This is not a day off for teachers - striking workers will not be paid - this is a stand-up for a change. A change that will be for the better and will hopefully increase school funding, increase recruitment, improve retention and help teachers to deliver a world class education to our world class pupils."
'It is so much more than about pay'
Mr Morgan agrees, and says the dispute is about much more than pay.
"Teachers are striking due to dissatisfaction over pay but it is so much more than that," he added. "The profession has been under-appreciated by the government for a long time; this is reflected in their commitment to paying staff in education, including teaching assistants, according to their worth.
"By investing in the profession, it is more likely that we will entice quality people and retain talent."
Teachers say they acknowledge the disruption pupils have already faced throughout the pandemic, but say that's even more of a reason why schools need every bit of funding they get, without having to use it to boost salaries.
And Mr Morgan is all too aware of the anger some families feel about today's strike and the further protests planned for February 28 and then March 15 and 16.
"All teachers fully sympathise with parents who will be affected by the strikes," he said. "It is the last thing that they want to happen. Additionally I fear about the breakdown in relationships and trust.
"However, no teacher has taken this decision lightly; they have opted to take the cut in pay, as they believe that their action could result in a better provision for everyone involved in schools."
Clare is hopeful that the strike action will be enough to get their message across to the powers that be.
"Teachers are dedicated professionals that want the best for their pupils and their families," she said. "This decision to strike will send a clear and direct message to the government that enough is enough and the time for change is now."
Talks between the NEU and the Department for Education took place on Monday but broke down without any resolution. Downing Street has said the decision to go ahead with strike action is 'deeply disappointing'.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman urged the unions to keep headteachers informed of their plans so they can prepare accordingly.
“Children were some of the hardest hit during the pandemic when schools needed to be closed,” the spokesman said.
“To have the ability to get into classrooms taken away from them again is particularly difficult. Obviously it has a knock-on impact on parents who will have to scramble to get childcare. So, it is very disappointing."
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan says the government has 'already met the unions’ request for an additional £2 billion in school funding, which will take real terms spending on schools to its highest level in history'.
Is your child off school during today's strike? Are you in support of the action? Let us know in the comments here.
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