Members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union at five secondary schools run by the Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) are to take strike action over plans to increase the length of the school day and the resultant impact on teachers’ working hours, workload and the welfare of staff and pupils.
Members at OGAT Hindley in Wigan, OGAT Foxhills in Scunthorpe and OGAT Easingwold in York will begin six days of strike action tomorrow (Tuesday).
Members at OGAT Portland and OGAT Valley, both in Worksop, will begin five days of strike action on Tuesday 10th June.
OGAT is planning to increase the length of the school day and teaching contact by 30 minutes per day from September 2025 onwards.
OGAT schools currently finish time at 2:30pm, but the school day still consists of five lessons of one hour each and a 20 minute form time, which is typical of the vast majority of secondary schools.
The changes being proposed by OGAT would extend form time and introduce a later finishing time of 3pm. The Trust have cited a need to move to the DfE’s advised 32.5 hour week as the reason for the planned changes. However, most schools have done this by extending break and lunch times, rather than by seeking to direct staff to work more hours for no extra pay.
OGAT schools currently have only a 15 minute morning break and a maximum of 30 minutes for lunch. Members report that currently a significant number of pupils are unable to eat or use the toilet at lunch as there is inadequate time available to queue to get a meal, eat it and use the toilet during time available for the lunch break. The short lunch break also means there are no opportunities for pupils to take part in extracurricular activities during the school day as is common at many other schools.
The Trust has so far refused to withdraw the proposals despite the overwhelming opposition of trade unions representing the OGAT workforce.
Matt Wrack, NASUWT Acting General Secretary, said:
“As a general rule, teachers in OGAT schools do not have shorter working hours than in other schools and academy trusts and we do not consider that these plans in their current form are in the best interests of either staff or pupils.
“Any change in length of the school day should focus on lengthening the lunch break to actually enable adequate time for pupils to queue for and eat their lunch, use the toilets and have a break before resuming lessons. The current lunch break is so short that some pupils are not eating or using the toilets which has a detrimental impact on their health, welfare and ability to focus on learning. Teachers are being equally affected by the inadequacy of the current lunch break.
“OGAT is damaging the morale of its staff with these proposals. All they are asking for are working conditions which reflect the hard work they already put in to help pupils achieve their best and which will support the wellbeing of the students they teach.
“We urge OGAT to agree to resume negotiations with us with a view to avoiding further industrial action and resolving this dispute.”
Rachel Knight, NASUWT National Executive Member for OGAT Hindley, said:
“Members are angry that they are being forced to change their directed working hours with little to no benefit on the children they teach.
“OGAT have said that the change will bring Hindley into line with other schools, but in fact they will be teaching more hours than any other local school in the area, which all have longer breaks and lunchtimes.”
Kath Oliver, NASUWT National Executive Member for OGAT Foxhills, said:
“Staff at Foxhills frequently report that they are unable to take a break at all during the school day and that some children actively avoid getting lunch because, by the time they have queued, they are forced to rush their food or have no time to eat it at all. Many also do not have time to use the toilet, which raises serious concerns around both health and dignity. A 30-minute window is simply insufficient and has a clear, detrimental effect on pupil wellbeing.”
Wendy Shuttleworth, NASUWT National Executive Member for OGAT Easingwold, said:
“OGAT has an opportunity to remodel the school day for the better and to ensure that both pupils and staff have adequate time to fulfil basic necessities such as going to the toilet and eating, never mind actually having a short break from teaching and learning. If the Trust agreed to listen to their staff and students this industrial action and the disruption to pupils and parents could be avoided.”
Anne Thompson, NASUWT National Executive Member for OGAT Valley and Portland, said:
“The current structure of the OGAT school day is already very pressured for both pupils and staff. Making these changes will only increase the pressure and threatens staff morale and recruitment and retention, which would be to be ultimate detriment of the Trust and the OGAT school community.”
