Teachers to strike at Portsmouth Grammar School following 'decision to address the high costs' of pension scheme
Teachers at a private Portsmouth school are set to go on strike next week in a row over pensions.
Members of the National Education Union who work at The Portsmouth Grammar School will go on strike on Wednesday and Thursday (July 2 and 3) after the school has ‘made the decision to address the high costs of remaining within this pension scheme’.
The teacher pension scheme is considered a benefit pension as it is based on salary rather than the amount being contributed and it includes an employer contribution of 28.6 per cent.
At the start of this year, it was also announced that private school fees would now be subject to a VAT charge of 20 per cent after previously being exempt from paying tax on tuition and boarding fees.
The tax from private school fees is expected to raise £1.725billion a year, according to the Treasury, which will go towards public services and public finances. But as a result of the tax increase, private schools are facing an increase in costs.
In a letter to parents, Portsmouth Grammar School has issued a reassurance that that the school will remain open despite the industrial action and that any day trips will also go ahead as planned.
It said: “At the end of last week, we received notification from the National Education Union (NEU) of the intention to have two strike days by some teachers at The Portsmouth Grammar School on Wednesday, July 2 and Thursday, July 3.
“This decision by NEU members to strike is in regard to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, where the school, like many other independent schools in recent years, has made the decision to address the high costs of remaining within this pension scheme.”
The NEU has been approached by The News for a comment on the upcoming strikes.