Most schools in Brighton and Hove were closed to pupils today as teachers went on strike over proposed changes to their pensions.
At least 50 schools, colleges and nurseries were closed – or, in a few cases, partially closed – by the strike.
And at least a thousand supporters of the strike are expected to gather at The Level in Brighton at 10.30pm before marching to a rally outside Hove Town Hall at 12.30pm.
The National Union of Teachers (NUT), the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and the University and College Union (UCU) have organised the nationwide strike.
Some other public sector workers belonging to the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union are also striking today.
Among those affected will be air passengers from Brighton and Hove who are being warned to expect delays at Gatwick as a result of PCS members striking.
The unions are taking action because they say that pension changes mean that their members will have to pay in more to their pensions, spend more years working and retire on less.
Mess
They say that the changes are being brought in to pay for the financial mess created by the banking crisis for which their members were not responsible.
One teacher said: “It was interesting to hear the Education Secretary Michael Gove saying to MPs that he once went on strike.
“He said that he supports our right to strike even though he doesn’t agree with this strike.
“But he should tell his colleagues in the cabinet that it’s wrong for bankers to bring the economy to the brink of collapse and then be rewarded with bonuses.
“And it’s wrong for the government to let the banks get away with that.
“And it’s wrong for people like teachers to be penalised to sort out the mess we’ve been left in by the bankers.”
The UCU said that their action would affect Brighton University and City College Brighton and Hove.
Most of the schools that have closed have formally notified Brighton and Hove City Council which published the list below.
It is not exhaustive as some schools are closed but are not on the list.
For example, all secondary schools in Brighton and Hove have closed to pupils today including the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, BHASVIC, Cardinal Newman, Portslade Community College and Longhill.
Secondary schools and sixth forms
- Blatchington Mill
- Dorothy Stringer
- Hove Park (both sites)
- Patcham High
- Varndean
Primary, infant and junior schools
- Balfour Junior and Infant
- Bevendean
- Carlton Hill
- Coldean
- Davigdor
- Downs Infant and Junior
- Elm Grove
- Fairlight
- Hangleton Infant and Junior
- Hertford Infant and Junior
- Portslade Infant
- Queen’s Park
- Rudyard Kipling
- Saltdean
- Somerhill
- St Andrew’s
- St Bartholomew’s
- St Bernadette’s
- St Luke’s
- St Martin’s
- St Nicolas Junior – partial closure, contact school for details
- St Paul’s Primary and Nursery
- St Peter’s Infant – partial closure, contact school for details
- Stanford Infant
- West Blatchington
- West Hove Infant and Junior – partial closure, contact school for details
- Westdene
- Woodingdean
Special schools
- The Alternative Centre for Education
- Cedar Centre
- Downs Park
- Downs View (and Link College)
- Hillside
- Patcham House
Nurseries
- Royal Spa
- St Paul’s
- Tarnerland nursery – partial closure, contact Tarnerland nursery for details
