Teachers at Hills Road walk out over ‘unfair’ funding for sixth-form colleges

Teachers at Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge started three days of strike action yesterday (Thursday, 28 November) in a dispute over funding.

The National Education Union (NEU) said its teacher members at 32 sixth-form colleges in England walked out yesterday and will again on Tuesday and Wednesday next week (3-4 December).

It comes after the government announced in July that teachers and leaders in England will receive a fully-funded 5.5 per cent pay rise this year.

Although academised sixth-form colleges – like Long Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge – have been guaranteed funding to implement the pay award, this is not the case for sixth-form colleges which are not academised, the NEU has said.

If Hills Road were to receive the same pay funding as 16-19 academies, it would mean an additional £434,000 for their budget this year.

Instead, Hills Road will be subject to what principal Jo Trump has referred to as an “insurmountable” budget hole if it were to try and make good on the government’s promise to teachers without any money to do so.

The college is urging local MPs to support them on the matter, so they “can continue to provide an education of distinction for young people in the area”.

Ms Trump said: “If you feel, as we do as an organisation, that this latest decision about the teacher pay grant needs looking at again as part of a wide-scale review of further education funding, we’d be really grateful if you felt able to contact your MP.”

The NEU added that it is unclear whether the additional funding for further education of 1.89 per cent announced in the Budget, including for sixth-form colleges, can be used for staff pay.

In 2010, Hills Road received £5,049 in funding per student per year. For this academic year, 2024-25, it will receive £4,834 per student per year. Backed by the Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), Hills Road is urging the Secretary of State for Education to reconsider.

Emma Young, chair of the SFCA, said: “There is an obvious... inequity and lack of logic in providing the additional funding to sixth-form colleges which have become 16-19 academies, while denying it to the 43 institutions that remain designated sixth-form colleges [even though] teachers in these institutions are paid the same rates of pay on the same national pay scales.”

In a letter to parents, Ms Trump said the college will remain open on strike days and lessons will continue as normal for classes that are not impacted by the industrial action.

She wrote: “We are sorry to have to inform you that there will inevitably be a level of disruption to your learning experience. Where possible, I’m sure that your teachers taking this action will do what they can to mitigate the impact, including informing you of their likely absence to minimise unnecessary travel for you, but this is not something we can mandate them to do. You will be marked accordingly for lessons cancelled due to strike action, so there is no need to apply for authorised absence.”

Cambridge’s Labour MP Daniel Zeichner acknowledged the frustration felt by staff and said he is committed to working closely with stakeholders to ensure staff at the college are “supported appropriately”.

He told the Cambridge Independent: “Hills Road Sixth Form College is highly valued for the quality of education it provides in Cambridge, and its success depends on the dedication and professionalism of its workforce.

“I acknowledge the frustration felt by staff that non-academised colleges have not received the same funding guarantee as their academised counterparts, which is driving the current strike action.

“The government has recognised challenges in the further education sector, and I welcome the announcement of a further £300 million for colleges and sixth forms in the Autumn Budget as well as measures such as funding for early career retention payments in key subjects and bursaries of up to £30,000 for teacher training. I understand the government will shortly evaluate future funding needs for FE, with decisions influenced by the multi-year spending review in spring.

“I am committed to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure staff at Hills Road are supported appropriately and the sector remains an attractive career choice for educators. I hope constructive dialogue can lead to a resolution that upholds fairness for staff while maintaining high-quality education for students.”

Pippa Heylings, Liberal Democrat MP for South Cambridgeshire, is calling on the government to end the disparity of pay.

In September, she heard from Ms Trump about the serious funding challenges facing Hills Road.

Ms Heylings said: “Industrial action is never a decision teachers take lightly but they feel they have no alternative under the current circumstances.

“This has left parents and students understandably concerned about the impact this action will have on their education. I have written to the secretary of state to urge her to review the teachers’ pay grant as part of a wider examination of funding for further education.

“It is imperative that the disparity between FE colleges and academies is removed to ensure equitable funding for all, and that teachers across all sectors receive fair and adequate pay.”

Ian Sollom, Liberal Democrat MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, has also visited the college to discuss the concerns.

Helen Brook, branch secretary, Cambridgeshire NEU said: “It is madness that, through oversight or neglect, the government has failed to guarantee this pay rise to our non-academised college members. Left with no other option they will strike to ensure that they receive a fair settlement and are not left abandoned.”

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, added: “Our dispute has highlighted the lack of care shown to the further education sector as a whole and the urgent need to bring up college staff pay up to at least the same level as in schools. We remain concerned by the disregard shown by the Department for Education (DfE) to the longstanding, effective collective bargaining arrangements in sixth-form colleges and would expect that this situation would not arise in future. No teacher wants to take strike action. The NEU remains open to negotiation.”

A DfE spokesperson said: “Sixth-form colleges are responsible for the setting of appropriate pay for their workforce and for managing their own industrial relations. The October Budget provided an additional £300million revenue funding for further education to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.”