Teachers plan walkout on Thursday 24th April over 2.45% pay increase
Thousands of local children will be forced to stay home from school on Thursday 24th April because of strike action by teaching staff.
More than 26 schools across Ealing are expected to close this week and many more will face disruption because of industrial action.
Two high schools, 20 primary schools and four special schools have said they will be closed on Thursday 24 April, because of the strike action by members of the National Union of Teachers.
Several others have not yet decided whether to close, while several more are expected to be partially closed.
In Hounslow 23 schools will be closed (4 secondary, 18 primary); 30 will be partially closed (5 secondary, 23 primary) meaning that 17,298 students and pupils will be disrupted.
The National Union of Teachers called the strike in protest at a 2.45% pay rise. Whilst many parents would sympathise with their children's teachers, the walkout will cause disruption especially for children for whom important exams are looming.
Education Secretary Ed Balls said he was "disappointed" that the teachers' union had called the strike and that parents would share his feelings about the walkout. "I'm on the side of parents who will be disappointed if their children's education is disrupted on Thursday." He added that the majority of teachers do not want to strike.
And it's not just the government that has come out against the teacher's strike, National Employers' Organisation for School Teachers Chairman Ivan Ould "Children so close to their exams will lose out on invaluable study time and parents will lose out as they are forced to take unnecessary holiday to look after them.
"It's my busiest time of year," said one local parent who, like many others, is not in a position to take the day off work on Thursday. "I'm know I'm not the only person who's in this situation but I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Parents should contact their children's schools directly to ascertain whether or not they will be open on Thursday, but this list gives an idea of expected closures:
Schools closed
High
Acton High
Elthorne Park High
Primary
Beaconsfield Primary
Berrymede Infant
Berrymede Junior
Dairy Meadow Primary
Edward Betham CE Primary
Fielding Primary
Gifford Primary
Hathaway Primary
Hobbayne Primary
Little Ealing Primary
Montpelier Primary
Oldfield Primary
Selborne Primary
Southfield Primary
St Anselm's Catholic Primary
St Gregory's Catholic Primary
St Vincent's Catholic Primary
Willow Tree Primary
Special
Belvue School
Castlebar School
Springhallow School
St Ann’s School
Foundation schools
Dormers Wells Infant and Nursery
Dormers Wells Junior
Schools partially closed
High
Twyford High
Primary
Clifton Primary
Derwentwater Primary
Downe Manor Primary
Durdans Park Primary
East Acton Primary
Featherstone Primary
Grange Primary
Greenwood Primary
Hambrough Primary
Havelock Primary
Horsenden Primary
John Perryn Primary
Lady Margaret Primary
Mount Carmel Catholic Primary
North Ealing Primary
North Primary
Oaklands Primary
Ravenor Primary
St John Fisher Catholic Primary
St John's Primary
St Joseph's Catholic Primary
St Mark's Primary
West Acton Primary
West Twyford Primary
Wolf Fields Primary
Special
John Chilton School
Mandeville School
Foundation schools
Wood End Infant
Wood End Junior
Brentside High
April 23, 2008