Strikes: communicating with parents/carers, staff and stakeholders

Find out who you have to tell about industrial action and school closures. Get guidance on talking to striking and non-striking staff, and use our template letters to let parents/carers know what your school's arrangements are.

Last reviewed on 4 April 2025See updates
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 45548
Contents
  1. Tell your school community as soon as possible
  2. Write your letters with our templates and AI tool 
  3. Talk to your staff about strikes

Tell your school community as soon as possible

Let your school community know as soon as strikes or industrial action are confirmed, even if you don't know how you'll respond yet.

This gives parents/carers enough time to make arrangements and ensures that you're supported by your governors throughout the whole process.

Read our FAQs for industrial action and the DfE's guidance on handling strike action in schools for more planning support.

You should tell:

  • Governors
  • Parents/carers
  • Your local authority (LA)
  • Your academy trust and/or diocesan representative (if appropriate)

You can consult with these groups about what to do about strikes, but there's no formal definition of what 'consulting' looks like.

This is set out in the DfE's advice on handling strike action in schools.

In academies: the central