LeadersSafeguardingCPDGovernorHubKeyGPT
Training Hub

Industrial action: FAQs

Get answers to your questions about strike action. Find out about your rights and responsibilities, and how to respond to industrial action.

Updated
on 21 September 2026See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 45513
Contents
  1. What's the current state of play? 
  2. How to respond to strike action
  3. What to do about cover and teaching arrangements
  4. Understand rights and pay for striking workers
  5. Practical considerations for strike days

These FAQs are based on:

See the sources section at the bottom of this page for the other guidance, advice and legislation that these FAQs draw from.

Please note, unions may have different interpretations of your legal requirements than the DfE.

We recommend you seek legal advice and consult with any union reps in your school, as appropriate.

What's the current state of play? 

How to respond to strike action

What to do about cover and teaching arrangements

Understand rights and pay for striking workers

Practical considerations for strike days

Sources

The information in this article is based on:

Article updates

21 September 2026

We've updated this article to:

  • Set out the funding details for the teachers' pay award 2026/27
  • Add details of electronic balloting, and the support staff pay award for 2026/27 to the 'current state of play section'
  • Explain that employees are protected against unfair dismissal regardless of how long the industrial action lasts
  • Note the upcoming extended measures preventing staff from being punished for taking part in industrial action under the Employment Rights Act 2025  

 

2 July 2026

We've updated the 'current state of play section' with details of the teachers' pay award for 2026/27.

22 June 2026

We've updated this article in line with:

  • The Employment Rights Act 2025 around the rules for picket supervision, and trade union notice periods and disclosure of members
  • The latest state of play about pay awards, including that the statutory pay and conditions framework has been extended to include academies as a result of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 

The rest of the rules, guidance and your responsibilities around strike action have not changed.

What did you think?

Rate this

Why did you give this rating?

Your feedback helps us to ensure our content is helpful to all members.

Our researchers read every comment.

Can't find what you need? Try searching, or ask us a question.

The Key has taken great care in publishing this article. However, some of the article's content and information may come from or link to third party sources whose quality, relevance, accuracy, completeness, currency and reliability we do not guarantee. Accordingly, we will not be held liable for any use of or reliance placed on this article's content or the links or downloads it provides. This article may contain information sourced from public sector bodies and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.