Teachers at Shrewsbury private school go on strike in pension row

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) joined others from across the country in protesting outside school gates over plans to remove teaching staff from the nationally-run Teacher Pension Scheme (TPS)

The independent school, in Town Walls, dates back to 1885 and provides education for girls aged four-18. It is owned by the Girls' Day School Trust which has 22 others across the country.

Charles Thomas from the NEU said: "The trust is saying it can't afford the financial implications in funding the teacher pension scheme with the increase in contributions announced by the government.

"No teacher is in the job for the money but if they do withdraw from the TPS, staff will be at least 20 per cent worse off on average in terms of the annual amount they receive in pension payments.

"The trust has been unable and unwilling to demonstrate any evidence for this decision. What is in the public domain shows trust finances to be in good health."

"We hope to avoid any further action and await further consultation with the trust but otherwise, provisionally, we do have days of action planned for March, 2, 3 and 4."

Teachers from Shrewsbury are also planning to join others in London on a national day of action on Friday February 25.

A spokesman for the the Girls' Day School Trust said: “Sadly, the increase to the TPS employer costs has had a severe impact on our expenditure and has put us in a very difficult position. We understand the strength of feeling amongst our teachers over this issue and of course the concerns raised by our parents.

"We care deeply about our teachers and would not have put forward these proposals unless we felt they were absolutely necessary to support the long-term sustainability of the GDST family of schools, enabling us to continue to provide an excellent and affordable independent education for our students, and at the same time ensuring teachers have a comfortable retirement."