Secondary schools in Tayside and Fife will be hit by another teachers’ strike next week.
Industrial action by the NASUWT Scotland and SSTA teaching unions will affect Fife, Dundee, Angus, Perth and Kinross next Thursday.
Perth and Kinross Council has confirmed all secondary schools in Perth and Kinross – with the exception of Pitlochry High School – will be closed to pupils in S1-S4.
But councils in Dundee, Angus and Fife have yet to say how their secondary schools will be affected.
Next week’s strikes are not expected to lead to complete closure of many schools as the EIS strike last week did because the SSTA and NASUWT have fewer members.
Why are teachers going on strike?
Like the EIS, NASUWT and SSTA want a 10% pay rise for all teachers, instead of a deal aimed at boosting the pay of lower-paid staff.
The latest pay offer would have seen a rise of between 5% and 6.85% for teachers.
But the offer has been rejected by the unions.
What are councils saying about the impact?
Perth and Kinross Council has confirmed all but one of its secondary schools will be shut to S1 to S4 pupils.
Pitlochry High School will open as normal.
Some schools have started running prelim exams which could be affected by next week’s strike action.
Fife Council said it will tell parents “soon” if there is any impact on their school.
Head of education and children’s services, Shelagh McLean, said: “We’re working with our schools and communities to make sure any disruption is kept to a minimum.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We are monitoring the situation and will announce arrangements for secondary schools as soon as is possible.”
The city’s Kingspark School will remain open.
Angus Council said it will confirm details of how secondary schools will be affected early next week.
What are the unions saying?
Des Morris, chairman of the teachers’ panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), said all of Scotland’s teaching unions are united in rejecting the “wholly unacceptable and divisive offer” from Cosla and the Scottish Government.
Mike Corbett, NASUWT Scotland national official, added: “The scale of industrial action being planned is unprecedented.
“We hope it will make ministers and employers sit up and recognise they must offer a significantly improved pay offer which addresses the cost of living.”
Response from Cosla to strike action
Councillor Katie Hagmann, Cosla’s resources spokesperson, said a revised fourth offer was made to the unions that did include additional money.
She described the unions’ response as ‘disappointing’.
She added: “We remain open to having open and honest conversations about how we can reach a viable and realistic settlement that protects the best interests of teacher, children and young people and our wider communities.”
Conversation