A HEADTEACHERS’ leader last night urged the Government to put “kids before cash” at a rally in the region.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), was addressing union members in Chester-le-Street, as they prepared to vote on striking for the first time in the NAHT’s 114-year history.

If members back a walkout, they could join the major day of action against the Government’s reforms of public sector pensions planned for Wednesday, November 30.

Speaking at Durham County Cricket Club Riverside ground, Mr Hobby said: “With great reluctance, faced with a refusal by the Government to negotiate on the basis of a proper valuation of the teachers’ pension scheme, we feel we have no option but to demonstrate our anger at this attack on the profession.

“We fear for the future of a system with a demoralised and devalued profession. We fear we will not be able to attract people to become heads at a time when targets and workloads are rising.

“The public needs to know that cuts could ultimately affect the quality of education for young people as high calibre graduates re-think their career choice and gifted teachers already in the profession consider whether they can afford to stay.

“No school leader wants to strike, but for many the attack on pensions is more than a question of attacks on individual retirement plans but a threat to the future of education itself.”

The NAHT represents 28,500 headteachers, deputy heads and assistant heads, including 1,200 in the North-East. The result of its strike ballot is expected on Wednesday, November 9.

Dave Marshall, NAHT officer for the North-East, said he understood everyone was suffering job losses and pay freezes, but that public servants were not greedy and the average teacher’s pension was an affordable £10,000.

A Department for Education spokesman said it wanted to ensure teachers continued to enjoy one of the best pensions available, but also make sure taxpayers got a fair deal.

It had produced proposals, based on a report into public sector pensions by Labour peer Lord Hutton, which it considered fair; and ministers would be talking with the teaching unions in the next few weeks, he added.