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.
School types: All • School phases: All • Ref: 45513
The DfE has announced a partially funded 4% teachers' and leaders' pay award from 1 September 2025 (see 'What's the current state of play?' below for full details).
Read our teacher pay award need-to-know for funding details and to find out your next steps.
To stay up to date with any future developments, select ‘save for later’ at the top of the page to be notified when we update this article.
The rules, guidance and your responsibilities around strike action haven't changed.
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?
What's happening with teachers' pay ? What's happening with teachers' pay ?
Who can go on strike? Who can go on strike?
Can staff in independent schools go on strike? Can staff in independent schools go on strike?
What's 'industrial action short of strike action?' What's 'industrial action short of strike action?'
How to respond to strike action
Who do we need to tell about strikes? Who do we need to tell about strikes?
Who can decide to close the school? Who can decide to close the school?
Do staff have to tell our school if they're going on strike? Do staff have to tell our school if they're going on strike?
How much notice of a strike will we get? How much notice of a strike will we get?
Who do we need to notify about closing the school? Who do we need to notify about closing the school?
Do we need an industrial action policy? Do we need an industrial action policy?
Do we need a risk assessment to keep the school open during strikes? Do we need a risk assessment to keep the school open during strikes?
Which pupils should we prioritise to be in school? Which pupils should we prioritise to be in school?
What are the minimum staffing ratio requirements to stay open? What are the minimum staffing ratio requirements to stay open?
What happens if our headteacher is striking? What happens if our headteacher is striking?
What if strikes affect exams? What if strikes affect exams?
What to do about cover and teaching arrangements
Do we need to deliver the curriculum on strike days? Do we need to deliver the curriculum on strike days?
Can we ask other staff to cover lessons? Can we ask other staff to cover lessons?
Can we employ temporary staff to cover strikes? Can we employ temporary staff to cover strikes?
Can we combine classes? Can we combine classes?
Can we use volunteers to supervise pupils? Can we use volunteers to supervise pupils?
Can we ask striking teachers to set work in advance? Can we ask striking teachers to set work in advance?
Understand rights and pay for striking workers
Can we ask striking teachers to make up lesson time? Can we ask striking teachers to make up lesson time?
Do we have to rearrange missed PPA time? Do we have to rearrange missed PPA time?
Do striking workers get pay? Do striking workers get pay?
How do we deduct pay? How do we deduct pay?
Does striking impact continuous service or the length of service? Does striking impact continuous service or the length of service?
Practical considerations for strike days
How should we handle school lunches? How should we handle school lunches?
Can we be inspected by Ofsted during a strike? Can we be inspected by Ofsted during a strike?
What if staff are sick on strike days? What if staff are sick on strike days?
Can we rearrange school events and parents' evenings? Can we rearrange school events and parents' evenings?
How do we record pupil attendance? How do we record pupil attendance?
Is picketing allowed? Is picketing allowed?
What does this mean for insurance? What does this mean for insurance?
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