Thousands of teachers are in Harrogate this week for the National Education Union‘s annual conference.

Delegates poured into Harrogate Convention Centre this morning for the four-day event, which began with news that teachers had rejected the latest government pay offer and were preparing for more strikes on April 27 and May 2.

Visitors were greeted by dozens of activists outside the convention centre handing out leaflets and distributing copies of left-wing publications such as Morning Star and Socialist Worker.

The week will see numerous fringe events take place in Harrogate as well as at the conference centre and nearby hotels.

Delegates arrive this morning

The NEU is the largest teachers’ union with 32,000 members from 1,700 schools.

Its latest pay ballot was rejected by 98% of teacher members in England on a turnout of 66%.

Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, issued a joint statement to delegates in Harrogate:

“This resounding rejection of the government’s offer should leave Education Secretary Gillian Keegan in no doubt that she will need to come back to the negotiating table with a much better proposal.

“These strikes are more than three weeks away; Gillian Keegan can avoid them.

“No teacher wants to be on strike. Nor can they accept this offer that does nothing to address the decades of below inflation pay increases making them the worst paid teachers in the UK.”

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Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi visited New Park Primary Academy on a trip to Harrogate yesterday.

Mr Zahawi, who was a speaker at the Local Government Association conference at Harrogate Convention Centre, made a surprise visit to meet staff and children.

New Park Primary Academy is part of the Northern Star Academies Trust, a group of nine schools across Harrogate, Skipton and Keighley.

Academy headteacher Robert Mold said: 

“At first I thought it was a hoax when the secretary of state’s office called to say he would like to visit New Park.  It’s not a call you get every day.

“The secretary of state spent time with many of our children and even joined in a class making mosaics as part of an art project.”

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During his visit, Mr Zahawi joined year five and six pupils for an art lesson in mosaic making.

Jenn Plews, chief executive of Northern Star Academies Trust said:

“It was great for children to meet a cabinet minister in their own school and to be able to ask him questions.

“Our pupils care deeply about protecting the environment, which is a strong part of our curriculum.

“They told the secretary of state what they are doing in school to be more sustainable and he encouraged them to keep up their work to protect our environment.  It was a great experience for our children.”

Call for Zahawi to intervene in Woodfield 

Mr Zahawi’s visit came at a time when a consultation is being held over the future of Woodfield Community Primary School in Bilton is being held.

The school, which is just a mile away from New Park Primary Academy, is at risk of closure after an academy sponsor for the school was unable to be found.

North Yorkshire Unison called on Mr Zahawi to “intervene to save Woodfield school” while he was in Harrogate.

On the day the Education Secretary @nadhimzahawi was about a mile away from Woodfield School we call upon him to intervene to #SaveWoodfieldSchool #SaveOurSchool https://t.co/wJxdEn6onw

— North Yorkshire UNISON (@NYUnison) June 30, 2022