More than a dozen schools have confirmed they will close if strike action goes ahead as planned next week.
Thousands of people across Sussex are expected to join the mass walkout on Wednesday, November 30 – due to be the largest industrial action in British memory.
Hospitals have warned that some non-emergency services will be affected but Sussex Police said they do not expect services to be curtailed.
School closures
Yesterday (November 23) the first wave of schools – in Brighton and Hove, Eastbourne, Lewes, Robertsbridge and Rye – announced they will close.
Among the closures are Blatchington Mill School, Varndean School, Dorothy Stringer, Cedar Centre in Lynchett Close, Hove, Rudyard Kipling Primary School in Chalkland Rise, Brighton and Woodingdean Primary in Warren Road, Brighton.
Brighton and Hove City Council said it will keep parents updated on closures but said come schools will not know until Tuesday, November 29 or even the morning of the strike.
East Sussex County Council confirmed that four schools will be closed, including Robertsbridge Community College.
West Sussex County Council said it had not yet been told of any closures.
NUT secretary Dave Brinson said he welcomed schools giving parents as much notice as possible if they are due to shut.
He said: “We are confident that the numbers (striking) will be greater than last time.
“I would be pretty confident that the vast majority of secondary schools will be closed completely and certainly the majority of primary schools will either be closed or open to a very limited number of pupils, particularly as there will be significant number of primary school heads taking strike action.”
Teaching unions are joining unions representing police staff, council workers and some health workers.
Emergency services
Graham White, director of human resources at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, said medical emergency services will not be affected.
He said the “majority of nurses” and doctors will not be participating.
He said: “Plans are already in place to minimise any inconvenience and disruption this may cause for non-emergency patients.”
From Monday The Argus will publish an updated list of school closures in Sussex on this websites, with updates thoroughout the day on November 30.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article