Teachers at closing school in dispute over pay

Members of a teachers' union at an independent school due to close next month have declared an industrial dispute, claiming they have been told they would not be paid for the second half of the final term.

Fulneck School, in Pudsey, Leeds, announced in March that it would close on 8 July due to a decline in enrolment and rising costs.

The NASUWT said its members had been informed after the May half term that the school could no longer afford to pay them, but they must continue working until the closure.

Responding, the school said staff would be paid up until 8 July, with a spokesperson for the school's trustees adding that they remained committed to a "regular and open" dialogue with staff.

The independent day and boarding school, founded by the Moravian church, has been teaching for more than 270 years.

Announcing the closure earlier this year, the school blamed "a continued decline in enrolment, combined with rising operational costs" for making it "increasingly challenging to maintain financial viability".

Announcing the dispute, a spokesperson for the NASUWT said many of its members at the school had had long careers there, often "making sacrifices" to keep it running, such as forgoing pay increases.

"As a result of the school's decision not to pay them for the last half term, Fulneck teachers stand to lose 14% of their annual salary," a union spokesperson said.

"Even if they are able to secure positions at other schools, they will go from July to the end of September with no pay – despite the fact they have earned that money."

Matt Wrack, acting general secretary of the NASUWT, said union members at the school had "pulled out the stops to support their struggling pupils this term, and it has come – quite literally – at their own expense".

"After years of sacrifice for the good of the school, losing months of pay is a real kick in the teeth," he said.

Tim Toepritz, the union's national executive member for Leeds, said the school's teachers had undergone a "collective trauma".

"They have spent the last term supporting panicking pupils through exams and school transitions, all the while frantically searching for new roles themselves," he said.

"On top of that, they now face unpaid bills over the summer.

"But Fulneck teachers are strong, and they won't go down without a fight. The school needs to abide by its church's mission statement and pay up."

However, according to the school, staff would be paid up until 8 July – the proposed date of the school's closure and planned insolvency - and in line with the school's legal obligations as an employer.

The percentage calculated by the NASUWT did not reflect the entitlements for staff through redundancy and notice pay, which would be processed through the government's Redundancy Payment Service and triggered following the school's planned liquidation, it said.

A spokesperson for the school's trustees said their priority was to ensure a "fair and transparent process" for everyone affected.

"The trustees have provided ongoing support throughout the school's operation and closure process," they added.

"Communication channels remain open for staff to raise concerns, and the trustees are committed to ensuring all legal obligations are met.

"No further comments can be made while the formal consultation process is ongoing."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.