Sixth-form colleges across England are taking legal action against the government, demanding the same funding for pay rises given to schools. This follows a series of strikes, with over 2,000 National Education Union (NEU) members walking out on Thursday and further strikes planned for next week.

The Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) has launched a judicial review over the government’s decision to provide extra funding for the 5.5% pay rise awarded to teachers in schools but not to non-academised sixth-form colleges. Colleges with academy status have received funding for the pay increase, but those without are expected to raise staff pay without additional financial support.

SFCA chief executive Bill Watkin criticized the decision as “illogical” and potentially unlawful, urging the government to resolve the situation and avoid further disruption to students’ education. NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede condemned the unfair treatment of the 32 colleges on strike, emphasizing that members were left with no choice but to take action after failing to receive a response from the government.

A Department for Education spokesperson highlighted that further education, including sixth-form colleges, plays a crucial role in developing the skills needed for the economy, and confirmed that an additional £300 million in funding was allocated to further education in the October budget. However, the specifics of how this will be distributed have yet to be outlined.