A sixth form college has spoken out as staff prepare to go back on strike in a dispute over fair pay today (Friday 13 December).
The strike affects National Education Union (NEU) members at Varndean College and Brighton, Hove And Sussex VI Form College (BHASVIC).
Varndean said: “We sincerely apologise for the disruption caused and assure students, parents and staff of our continued commitment to resolving the underlying issues.
“The strike action highlights a critical funding disparity within the sixth form college sector.
“Unlike academised sixth form colleges, which have received additional funding for a 5.5 per cent pay rise through the post-16 schools budget grant, non-academised sixth form colleges – including Varndean College – have not been guaranteed the same funding support.
“This inequity undermines the national pay bargaining agreement facilitated by the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) and places significant strain on staff morale and resources.
“This funding disparity is unfairly disadvantaging young people in Brighton and Hove as both sixth form colleges in the city are non-academised and excluded from the additional funding.
“These students deserve the same opportunities as their peers in academised colleges yet the government’s decision has created an unjust two-tier system within post-16 education across the country.
“Teachers in sixth form colleges are part of a longstanding collective pay agreement distinct from schools – and this strike action is a direct response to the government’s decision to differentiate between academised and non-academised colleges.
“The Department for Education has incorrectly classified academised sixth form colleges as falling under the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), a position that does not align with the distinct status of sixth form colleges within the education system.
“The NEU has reported that over 2,000 sixth form college teachers nationwide are participating in this industrial action, spanning 32 institutions.
“The Sixth Form Colleges Association has launched a judicial review to challenge the government’s decision to fund academised and non-academised colleges differently.”
Varndean College principal Donna-Marie Janson said: “Our teaching staff are dedicated to our students and do not take strike action lightly.
“The government’s decision to fund only academised sixth form colleges is inequitable and threatens the stability of the national pay agreement.
“This unfair treatment is directly impacting the young people at sixth form colleges in Brighton and Hove, disadvantaging them compared to their peers elsewhere.
“I have written to all Brighton and Hove MPs, including our local MP for Brighton Pavilion, Sian Berry, as well as the Skills Minister and Secretary of State for Education.
“Sian Berry has already raised this issue on our behalf in Parliament but we will continue to push for fair funding for all sixth form colleges.”
Varndean College added: “Sixth form colleges play a vital role in the education of 16 to 19-year-olds across England yet the sector has seen a 29.5 per cent real-terms decline in teacher pay since 2010 and a 20 per cent decrease in overall funding during the same period.
“The additional £300 million funding announced for further education in the latest budget does not guarantee that pay equality will be addressed.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to advocating for equity in funding and ensuring the best outcomes for our students. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.”
The NEU said: “We will be commencing further strike action in the new year on the following dates unless the government provides a resolution to this dispute
• Tuesday 7 January
• Wednesday 8 January
• Thursday 9 January
NEU south east regional secretary Phil Clarke said: “The exceptionally strong turnout for the strike action on Thursday 28 November and Tuesday 3 December and Wednesday 4 December should have been a wake-up call to government that our members will not back down on this issue.
“It is simply unjust that teachers in non-academised sixth form colleges are not being guaranteed the funding for a comparable pay award to the 5.5 per cent pay deal seen elsewhere in academised sixth form colleges and schools.
“They do the same job with the same commitment and the same importance. We will never accept a two-tier workforce and our members must have the same pay.
“The responsibility for these strikes lies with government not teachers. No teacher wants to be taking strike action. They want to be in classrooms doing what they do best: teaching.
“We remain as always willing to resolve this dispute with government. However, in the face of yet more silence our members will continue with their action.
“Government needs to recognise this absurd situation needs to end and that they must quickly address this inexcusable pay divide.
“Let there be no doubt the strike action will continue into the new year unless sense prevails and our members are given the pay they deserve.”
It’s mad that this new Labour Govt decided to increase teachers’ pay, but did not do the same for teachers in sixth forms.
Good riddance to the last government, but there’s a growing number of budget decisions the chancellor has made which seem incredibly poorly thought out – and the list of people being let down and shafted by them is growing!
Personally I think the last government was better, Labour are a complete failure, glad I had no part in it. Train drivers, teachers, they all get far more than most people. The more you offer the more people want, it’s called human nature. The private sector now will be laying people off and certainly not recruiting, meanwhile the public sector are rolling in it. Labour even paying their increased NIC’s. Roll on Reform or a reformed conservative party.
Recent BBC headline” More than 10,000 civil servants jobs could be cut as part of Labour’s push for 5% savings across its departments, a government source has said.
I doubt that the 10,000 will think they’re ‘rolling in it’. I ‘ve just read the Nigel Farage puff sheet (sorry Reform manifesto) and it makes no attempt to explain how any of their promises could be carried out or where the money would come from – complete pie in sky…
I see no real difference between this government and the last one tbh. Both see austerity as the route out of the mess we’re in, rather than investing in people and infrastructure.
I also support the pay increases – my issue is that the pay increase should have been extended to teachers in FE colleges too. It’s not an easy job and they need decent pay to stop the sector haemoraging staff. If we want our children and young people to access good education, it means properly seeing it as a good investment and making sure staff and the system is properly funded. Cutting corners on either is very short-sighted.
Selective pay rises was never going to be popular…