OGAT teachers strike over planned increase to school day

The Teachers’ Union at five secondary schools run by the Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) have begun strike action over plans to increase the length of the school day and the resultant impact on teachers’ working hours, workload and the welfare of staff and pupils.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) has revealed that members at OGAT Hindley in Wigan, OGAT Foxhills in Scunthorpe and OGAT Easingwold in York will begin six days of strike action today (3 June).

Meanwhile, members at OGAT Portland and OGAT Valley, both in Worksop, will begin five days of strike action on Tuesday 10 June.

OGAT is planning to increase the length of the school day and teaching contact by 30 minutes per day from September 2025 onwards. OGAT schools currently finish at 2:30pm, with the school day consisting of five lessons of one hour each and a 20 minute form time, typical of the vast majority of secondary schools.

The changes being proposed by OGAT would extend form time and introduce a later finishing time of 3pm. The Trust have cited a need to move to the DfE’s advised 32.5 hour week as the reason for the planned changes.

However, The NASUWT said that most schools have done this by extending break and lunch times, rather than by seeking to direct staff to work more hours for no extra pay.

OGAT schools currently have only a 15 minute morning break and a maximum of 30 minutes for lunch. The NASUWT stated that members report that the lunch provides inadequate time available for some pupils to queue to get a meal, eat it and use the toilet during time available for the lunch break. The short lunch break also means there are no opportunities for pupils to take part in extracurricular activities during the school day as is common at many other schools.

The Trust has so far refused to withdraw the proposals despite the overwhelming opposition of trade unions representing the OGAT workforce.

Matt Wrack, NASUWT Acting General Secretary, said: “As a general rule, teachers in OGAT schools do not have shorter working hours than in other schools and academy trusts and we do not consider that these plans in their current form are in the best interests of either staff or pupils.

“Any change in length of the school day should focus on lengthening the lunch break to actually enable adequate time for pupils to queue for and eat their lunch, use the toilets and have a break before resuming lessons. The current lunch break is so short that some pupils are not eating or using the toilets which has a detrimental impact on their health, welfare and ability to focus on learning. Teachers are being equally affected by the inadequacy of the current lunch break.”

He added: “OGAT is damaging the morale of its staff with these proposals. All they are asking for are working conditions which reflect the hard work they already put in to help pupils achieve their best and which will support the wellbeing of the students they teach.

“We urge OGAT to agree to resume negotiations with us with a view to avoiding further industrial action and resolving this dispute.”

A spokesperson for OGAT told BBC Local News: “The small change we have proposed will mean students can learn more and achieve even stronger outcomes.”