School teacher strike announced for next week

Teaching Unions in Scotland are planning further strike action next week with some schools in Orkney affected.

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, are expected to take action on Wednesday, December 7.

This follows the action taken by the Educational Institute of Scotland in November.

The impact of Wednesday’s action is expected to be more restricted, impacting mainly on the senior secondary schools, some of the secondary classes at Stronsay Junior High School and just one class at Papdale.

An Orkney Islands Council spokeswoman said: “It is possible that in some primary schools, individual classes or groups of classes will be at home, while other children and young people are able to attend as normal.

“On that basis, parents will be contacted directly by schools to inform them of their individual arrangements.”

The Papdale Halls of Residence will stay open and pupils from Kirkwall Grammar School and Stromness Academy who attend college will be able to do so but no transport will be provided.

Further strikes have been scheduled, which may result in similar closures to those experienced on November 24, for further information see next weeks edition of the Orcadian.