A STRIKE by teachers at a Blackburn school over performance related pay has been averted at the eleventh hour.

Some staff at Pleckgate High School were due to walk out today which would have forced classes to be cancelled and students in years eight, nine and 10 being told not to come in.

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However, an offer of further talks led to the cancellation of the first of six planned strikes by staff who have said unrealistic targets are being placed on them to achieve pay progression.

The NASUWT has said ‘every effort’ was being made to secure a way forward and said progress was being made towards resolving the issues.

Following the talks, lessons at the school will go ahead as normal today.

However if no solution arises, strikes are planned for Tuesday and Wednesday next week and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the following week.

John Girdley, NASUWT national executive member for Blackburn, said the union had made ‘every effort to secure a way forward through genuine negotiation’, but the employer has ‘failed to put forward any concrete proposals’ to deal with the issues raised by teachers at the school.

He said: “Teacher wellbeing and professionalism directly affects the quality of education children receive and we hope parents and the public will understand that current working practices cannot simply be allowed to go unchallenged.

“It is deeply regrettable that disruption will be caused to pupils and parents.

“Strike action can be avoided if the employer genuinely commits to working with the NASUWT to fully address these issues and support teachers to be able to do their best for pupils.”

It is understood no other unions are taking part and Pleckgate is the only school affected.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: “Teachers at the school have serious concerns about the way in which their performance management is being handled, and the unrealistic targets being placed on them in order to achieve pay progression.

“All of these issues directly affect the quality of education they are able to deliver to pupils.

“The teachers at Pleckgate High School are all dedicated and committed members of staff who want professional working conditions to support them in their work to do the best for the pupils they teach.

“They deeply regret any disruption the strike action will cause pupils and parents and hope that the employer will work with them to fully address their concerns so that further strike action can be avoided.”

Pleckgate, which has more than 1,000 pupils, is run by the Education Partnership Trust after becoming an academy in February. The school and trust were unavailable for comment.