Almost half of schools to shut as teachers stage walk out

A rally will be held in Victoria Square and picket lines will be held outside schools.

Members of the National Union of Teachers voted by more than 9-1 in favour of industrial action.

The union said its demands were to increase funding to schools and education, guarantee terms and conditions in all types of schools and to resume negotiations on teacher contracts to allow workload to be addressed.

The action will result in the full closure of 30 per cent of schools – 37 — 15 per cent or 19 schools will stay open.

The majority of schools — 50 per cent —staying open.

But seven schools, six per cent, are still to announce their plans.

Picket lines will be drawn up outside some schools before teachers gather in Victoria Square for a rally and speeches. Many will travel to Manchester for another rally bringing teachers from across the region together.

The union is hoping that the strike will send out a strong message to politicians.

Julia Simpkins, secretary of the Bolton-branch of the National Union of Teachers, said: "It is incredibly hard for teachers to take this action.

"This action should send a clear message to the Conservative and Labour Parties, as we are aware it was Labour who started the academisation programme, that we will not just allow the White Paper to end teachers' national terms and conditions. Had we lost the battle we would have the European Union, but we do not know what is happening there, so it is more important than ever.

"Education Secretary Nicky Morgan is trying to say this is about pay, it is not, it is about conditions that teachers are working under and children are learning in. The government has not cut the education budget but they have not increased it so it has been cut in real terms,the increase is equivalent to the salary of one in 20 teachers.

"I know of class sizes reaching 37 in some schools, this is what this Government is taking us back to."

Ms Simpkins said that the action could continue into the new academic year if the Government doesn't back down and other unions could join.

Schools have sent out letters to parents informing of their plans during the day long strike.

The decision to close schools is taken on safety grounds and teachers who are not members of the union will be in school.

Emily Kirk, head of Gaskell Primary School which is one of the schools closing to pupils, said: "A number of our employees are members of the NUT and as such we are likely to be affected by the industrial action.

"Our Governing Body have undertaken a thorough risk assessment to safeguard our children’s safety, and as a result, feel that it is necessary to close the school for pupils on Tuesday 5th July 2016."

The union is hoping that the strike will send out a strong message to politicians.

A Bolton Council spokesman said: "Headteachers and school governors are responsible for making local decisions about how to respond to industrial action.

“They will make a judgement on whether their school should either fully or partly close based on how many staff are likely to be on strike and whether they are able to provide a safe learning environment for pupils.

“Schools are best placed to inform children and parents about their plans to close and we have asked that they be notified as soon as possible through their usual school communication channels."

Schools have sent out letters to parents informing of their plans during the day long strike.

*Red Lane Primary School will be open as usual - and not as was previously in the list closed

CLOSED

All Saints (Farnworth) C E P School

Bolton Muslim Girls School (closed for holidays)

Bowness Primary School

Brownlow Fold C P School

Canon Slade School

Castle Hill C P School

Cherry Tree C P School

Chorley New Road C P School

Clarendon C P School

ESSA Academy

Firwood Special School

Gaskell C P School

Green Fold Special School

Harper Green Secondary School

Highfield C P School

Ladybridge High School

Lever Park School

Little Lever Secondary School

Mount St Joseph RC Secondary School

Park School Teaching Service

Queensbridge C P School

Rivington & Blackrod High School

Rumworth Special School

Sharples School

Smithills School

SS Peter & Paul R C P School

SS Simon & Jude Church of England Academy (closed for planned training day)

St Josephs R C Secondary School

St Matthew (Bolton) C E P School

St Maxentius C E P School

St Michael C E P School

St Stephen Kearsley Moor CEP School

The Orchards Nursery School

The Valley C P School

Tonge Moor C P School

Turton School

OPEN

Alexandra Nursery School

Beaumont C P School

Red Lane Primary School

Bishop Bridgeman C E P School

Blackrod Church School

Bolton Parish C E P School

Bolton St Catherine's Academy

Brandwood Street C P School

Church Road C P School

Claypool C P School

Devonshire Road C P School

Eatock C P School

Egerton C P School

Forwards Centre Pupil Referral Unit

Gilnow C P School

Grosvenor Nursery School

Hardy Mill C P School

Harwood Meadows Primary School

Haslam Park C P School

Heathfield C P School

High Lawn C P School

Kearsley West C P School

Ladybridge C P School

Ladywood Special School

Lever Edge Primary Academy

Leverhulme C P School

Lostock C P School

Markland Hill C P School

Masefield C P School

Moorgate C P School

Mytham C P School

Our Lady of Lourdes R C P School

Oxford Grove C P School

Pikes Lane C P School

Prestolee Primary School

Sharples C P School

Spindle Point C P School

SS Osmund & Andrews R C P School

St Andrew (Over Hulton) CEP School

St Bartholomew's C E P School

St Bede Academy

St Bernard R C P School

St Catherine C E P School

St Ethelbert R C P School

St Gregory R C P School

St James CE High School

St John (Kearsley) C E P School

St Mary (Deane) C E P School

St Matthew Little Lever CEP School

St Paul (Astley Bridge) CEP School

St Stephen & All Martyrs CEP School

St Thomas (Chequerbent) C E School

St Thomas Of Canterbury RCP School

St William R C P School

Susan Isaacs Nursery School

The Ferns Primary Academy

The Gates C P School

The Oaks C P School

The Young Mums Unit

Thomasson Memorial Special School

Walmsley C E P School

Washacre C P School

Youth Challenge Pupil Referral Unit

PARTIALLY OPEN

Blackrod C P School

Blackshaw C P School

Holy Infant & St Anthony R C P School

Horwich C E P School

Johnson Fold C P School

Lord Street C P School

Sacred Heart R C P School

St Brendan R C P School

St Columba R C P School

St Georges C E P School

St James (Daisy Hill) C E P School

St James (Farnworth) C E P School

St John (Bromley Cross) RCP School

St Mary (Horwich) R C P School

St Peter (Farnworth) C E P School

St Saviour C E P School

St Teresa R C P School

Sunninghill C P School

Westhoughton High School

NOT KNOWN

Eagley Infant School

Eagley Junior School

Kearsley Academy

St Joseph R C P School

St Peter Smithills Dean CEP School

St Thomas (Halliwell) C E P School

Thornleigh Salesian College