NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union has warned that it will ballot members for industrial action unless Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT) withdraws plans to increase secondary teachers’ working hours and workload.
 
OGAT, which runs 28 secondary schools in Yorkshire and Humberside, the North East, North West and the East Midlands, is planning to increase the length of the school day and teaching contact by 30 minutes per day from September 2025 onwards.

The Trust has so far refused to withdraw the proposals despite the overwhelming opposition of trade unions representing the OGAT workforce.
 
Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:

“NASUWT has made it very clear that, to avoid industrial action, OGAT must withdraw its plans and agree to work with us on any proposals affecting the delivery of the curriculum and length of the school day.
 
“We have made it clear to OGAT that its plans to substantially increase teacher contact time amounts to one of the worst attacks on teachers’ terms and conditions that risks moving OGAT from being a relatively successful trust to one that will experience significant employee turnover and industrial relations problems.

“NASUWT remains willing to discuss with OGAT how it can achieve its educational objectives, but only if it withdraws the threat of measures that will increase teacher workload and working time and damage morale.

“Until then, the NASUWT will be considering industrial action in OGAT schools.”