Striking Sheffield teachers march through city calling for PM to ‘fund schools, not heat swimming pools’

This was just one of the chants heard as hundreds of striking Sheffield teachers marched through Sheffield city centre today as talks for increased pay and school funding continue to grind on.

Teachers are staging nationwide walkouts both today (July 5) and on Friday with demands for a ‘fully-funded pay rise’ and increased funding to support classrooms.

Many educators left their picket lines outside dozens of Sheffield schools this morning to join the march, with staff from Tapton School, Lowfield Primary, Longley Park Primary, Nether Edge Primary, Mercia School and Handsworth Grange all present with banners, among many others.

It comes after the National Education Union (NEU) said pay talks with the Government ‘broke down’ in spring, where a 4.5 per cent pay rise was offered. This was rejected after the union said the first four per cent wasn’t fully costed and reportedly would have meant cutting back other means of support to schools.

The union claims teachers have lost on average 20 per cent of their pay in real terms since 2010, and that 40,000 teachers in state schools have resigned since 2022. Union members are decrying increasing workloads, lack of special needs provision, and the common case of teachers having to buy their own classroom supplies like glue sticks out of their own wages.

Addressing the scores of teachers from the steps of the City Hall, NEU member Radia Hussain said: “I know you have all been working hard from the early hours at your own picket lines today – anyone who says teachers only want to strike because we want a day off is mistaken.

“The Government has done nothing since 2010 but make endless excuses about why our education system isn’t working. I asked them, who do they think have been making those decisions?

“We have had 10 education secretaries and five Prime Ministers since 2010. I see the Tories are enjoying playing musical chairs and having ‘jingle and mingle’ parties while we have been losing our loved ones and suffering.

“We don’t want to strike. We would rather be in the classroom teaching. But we have been given no other option.”

Those involved in the march gathered at Devonshire Green beforehand.