Aspire People, the specialist education recruiters who supply over 200 teachers to schools across the West Midlands, are preparing for the first teachers’ strike for more than 20 years.
 
Kay Powell, one of the company’s directors, said: “Ultimately this is an industry-wide event and there is nothing we can do to influence it. As recruiters, we work hard to secure the best pay and conditions for teachers; but as a company our philosophy is to focus on pupils, so we are sad to see strike action which will undoubtedly disrupt children's learning.”
 
Louise Breheny, who co-founded Aspire People four years ago, says that education recruiters will suffer from the strike action. “Schools are not allowed to hire supply staff to cover for teachers who are taking industrial action, so it will certainly be a case of less work for us rather than more during the strike. Some schools will be forced to close, and that will inevitably mean fewer opportunities for us to place teachers on Thursday.”
 
The NUT wants an increase on the 2.45% pay rise for 2008 to take it above inflation.