Schools could offer catch-up lessons or extra revision sessions for exam students amid strike action this term, the Department for Education has advised.
This is set out in updated guidance published after the NEU teaching union announced two further strike dates this term.
The guidance maintains that schools should prioritise vulnerable pupils, children of critical workers, as well as pupils due to take public examinations and other formal assessments.
But the update adds: “Schools are encouraged to consider what action they could take to ensure pupils due to take their GCSEs or vocational qualifications are supported and prepared for their exams.”
“This could involve offering catch-up lessons or arranging additional revision sessions.”
NEU national strikes are scheduled for 27 April and 2 May.
Members at the union’s annual conference in Harrogate before Easter also voted in support of a three-day strike in late June or early July, the exact dates of which will be confirmed by the executive on 18 May.
After a period of intensive talks, the DfE last month made all four teaching unions the offer of a £1,000 non-consolidated payment for 2022-23 and an average 4.5 per cent rise for 2023-24.
However, just 0.5 per cent of the overall 4.5 per cent pay award for next year would have come through new funding, along with the £1,000 one-off payment for this year.
All four education unions have rejected the government pay offer and the DfE has said that the decision on teacher pay for next year will now follow the process of the independent pay review body.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the suggestion that schools could consider catch-up lessons or arranging additional revision sessions “is a statement of the bleeding obvious”.
He added: “Everybody will already be prioritising students taking exams and assessments and, if a student needs extra help for any reason, endeavouring to provide that support. Instead of producing unnecessary guidance, it would be more helpful if the government put its energies into resolving the dispute and addressing teacher shortages.”
