The HEADTEACHER of a village school says she is very disappointed that teachers are threatening to strike next week in a dispute over redundancies and potential job losses.

Parents and pupils at Gwersyllt CP face two days of disruption next week as members of the NASUWT, the Teachers' Union are planning to walk out on Tuesday and Wednesday in a dispute over redundancies.

Catrin Pritchard, Headteacher at Gwersyllt Community Primary School, said that both Wrexham Council and the school are concerned about the impact that strike action will have on its pupils and parents.

She said: "The school has had to take a difficult decision on staffing for September 2018 and, in keeping with the school motto, Putting Children First, this meant having to make two surplus teachers redundant by following the agreed Redeployment and Redundancies procedure.

"However, staff have the right to strike if they wish, and we will respect that right.”

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, The Teachers’ Union, said: “Strike action is always a last resort for teachers and it is regrettable that members of the NASUWT have been left with no option but to call two days of action at Gwersyllt Community Primary School due to potential restructuring, and associated redundancies and job losses.

“Parents and the wider community should be left in no doubt that the NASUWT remains willing to engage with the employer to find a resolution to this dispute, with a view to withdrawing the planned industrial action. Parents will also be rightly concerned about the impact of the proposals the NASUWT is challenging on their children.

“If the strike does go ahead, the NASUWT deeply regrets any disruption the action will cause pupils and parents.”

However, the parents the Leader spoke to about the strike said they were fully supportive of it, one of whom was Kim Salisbury (pictured) who has a nine-year-old son at the school.

She said: “I heard about the strike last week when we got a letter from the school on Friday.

“I understand why they have to do it [strike] because the redundancies affect their families in the same way that it affects ours."

She added: "I work part time and will have to make arrangements to work around it.

“I understand the principals behind the strike and I fully support them.

“My son’s education is fine and we’ve received a lot of support from the school and all the teaching staff as well."