Sevenoaks schools to be hit by strike

Many schools across the Sevenoaks and surrounding area will be affected on Wednesday as public sector workers strike over proposed changes to pensions and spending cuts.

A number of primary and secondary schools will be totally closed for the day with many more being forced to halt lessons for specific year groups.

The Government says the cost of funding public sector pensions is "unsustainable" and it wants most workers to pay more into their pensions, work for longer and accept a pension based on a "career average" salary, rather than the current final salary arrangement.

Unions, however, say the proposals will leave their members paying more and working longer for less.

The TUC is co-ordinating the national day and UK-wide more than two million workers are expected to stay home.

Locally Sundridge and Brasted (www.sundridge.kent.sch.uk) and also West Kingsdown (www.west-kingsdown.kent.sch.uk) primary schools will be closed. Sevenoaks Primary (www.sevenoaks-pri.kent.sch.uk) will also close its doors.

An announcement on the website says: "The children's well-being is our primary concern and on this occasion we would find ourselves in a position where we were not appropriately staffed."

Parents/carers whose children attend Breakfast Club will have a credit added to their account and there will also be credits for missed school lunches.

A planned Year 3 trip to 'Yesterday's World' will be rescheduled. However, Play 4 Ages will remain open, operating from 3.15pm – 6.00pm.

Years R, 1 and 4 will be closed at Lady Boswell's (www.ladyboswells.kent.sch.uk) primary but years 2, 3, 5 and 6 will be open as usual. Only the reception class will be closed at St Thomas' (www.st-thomas-sevenoaks.kent.sch.uk).

The website for Chevening St Botolph's (www.chevening.kent.sch.uk) carries an announcement from head Helen Jones, which reads: "It is not necessary for teachers to inform their employer of their decision to strike so I am grateful to our teachers for informing me in advance."

Reception, Class 1 and Class 2 will be open, while all classes in Key Stage 2 will be closed. No work will be set for the day. Early morning club will be open as normal at 8am. School dinners will be provided for the children who normally have a hot lunch.

The Amherst school website (www.www.amherst.kent.sch.uk) says the school will be open on Wednesday.

For the secondary schools, Knole Academy (www.knoleacademy.org) in Sevenoaks will remain open for Years 11, 12 and 13 however year 11 will have some supervised study in classrooms so students should bring revision or coursework material with them on the day. The academy will be closed for Years 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Mascalls (www.mascalls.kent.sch.uk) and Judd (www.judd.kent.sch.uk) schools in Tonbridge will be closed, along with Charles Darwin (www.cdarwin.com) in Biggin Hill.

The Hugh Christie Technology College (www.hughchristie.kent.sch.uk) in Tonbridge is closed to years 9, 10 and 11. Most lessons in Years 7 and 8 will operate as timetabled. Students in years 12 and 13 should attend as normal. Sixth Form students need to be prepared for extra private study sessions as lessons will be cancelled if the member of staff is on strike.

This is also the case for students who attend Sixth Form lessons at The Hayesbrook School (www.hayesbrook.kent.sch.uk). At Hayesbrook in Tonbridge only Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 should attend.

Meanwhile only years 12 and 13 should go to school at Weald of Kent Grammar (www.wealdofkent.kent.sch.uk) in Tonbridge.

At Bennett Memorial Diocesan (www.bennett.kent.sch.uk) in Tunbridge Wells the school will be closed for all students in years 7, 8, 9 and 10.

The school will be open for all students in year 11, who will be taking two trial GCSE examinations on that day.

The school canteen will be open as normal and all local public and school transport is running as normal on that day.

All study facilities and other normal school facilities will be open for sixth form students however normal lessons will not take place.

The planned geography study visit to London will be taking place, as will the rugby U16 final game in Gravesend. Any last minute changes to these plans will be notified to the students concerned.

The website added: "We are acutely aware of the difficulties that this closure poses, especially for working parents.

"It will be possible for us to provide a supervised environment for a limited number of younger students.

"Any parents of younger students working in essential services who cannot easily arrange child care and who would like their child supervised at school should let us know by the end of Monday, 28th November, and we will make arrangements for those children to be looked after at school, despite the absence of a normal teaching programme."

Tonbridge Grammar (www.tgs.kent.sch.uk) will be providing an update on Monday.

Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar (www.twggs.kent.sch.uk) may close the school for some year groups but this is not yet confirmed.

Parents will be informed on Monday by Parent Mail and on the website.

* In total the TUC expects disruptions to courts, government offices, job centres, driving tests, border controls and council services.

Ministers expect two thirds of schools to close across the UK, and although clinical and medical staff in hospitals will work - the British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing are not taking industrial action - some staff in hospitals will be on strike which would cause some delays.

The Government says it will not be calling on the Army to step in and it does not believe emergency services will be hit.

It says the strikes could cost the UK £500m and lead to job losses.

In October, ministers proposed a new offer, saying it would guarantee no-one within 10 years of retirement would have to work longer or see their pension income fall and includes the promise of more generous rates of accrual - the rate at which the value of a pension builds up.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said there was "no more money on the table" to settle the dispute and the government had made a "very good offer".