Teachers from two sixth form colleges will strike for “fair pay and funding” across three days.

Varndean and Bhasvic sixth form colleges will have strikes on November 28 and December 3 and 4.

The National Education Union (NEU) represents most staff at the colleges and has won a resounding 97% vote in favour of strike action by its members.

Teachers at Bhasvic and Varndean Sixth will join colleagues across 32 colleges around the country whose colleges face cuts to their pay and funding in comparison to maintained schools.

Under government plans announced in July, schools and sixth form colleges which have converted to academy status will receive a slice of £1.2 billion to help cover a 5.5 per cent salary boost for teachers.

The funding, however, will not be extended to the 40 sixth form colleges which have decided to not “academise”. 

Despite efforts by the NEU to seek assurances from the secretary of state for education that sixth form colleges could utilise the additional funding allocated to the sector in the budget for staff pay, “no such clarification has been received”, the union said.

Teachers and supporters will picket the entrances of the Brighton and Hove colleges between 7.45am and 9.30am. 

Nick Childs, senior regional office at NEU, South East said: “No teacher strikes lightly. NEU members at Varndean and Bhasvic are dedicated to their college, their students and the community they serve.

“The National Education Union has made every effort to resolve this dispute, and we call upon the Secretary of State to rectify this injustice where non-academised sixth form colleges and their teachers are treated unfairly in comparison with colleges in maintained schools and academised colleges.

"The new government has rightly recognised that education funding and teacher pay have been eroded for years and that this has led to a crisis in teacher retention, larger class sizes and fewer resources for students.

“Varndean and Bhasvic are two of 40 sixth form colleges who have been disadvantaged. Our city deserves better. National Education Union members at both colleges are taking strike action to defend their colleges and support their community.

“They are determined to fight for fair pay and fair funding and will stand firm until their colleges receive the funding they so richly deserve.”