STAFF at a secondary school will go on strike in a dispute over pay.

The walkout will take place on March 9 at Northbrook School, Leahurst Road, Lee.

Out of 18 members of the Lewisham branch of the National Teachers’ Union who were balloted, 17 voted for strike action.

Lewisham NUT secretary Martin Powell-Davies claims up to four middle managers will have their annual salary cut by £2,000 if a proposed staff reorganisation goes ahead.

He said: “It’s a relatively small amount of money compared to the damage it will cause to morale.

“We’ve had a whole series of meetings since before Christmas. We’ve no alternative now but to give notice for the action.”

Headteacher Father Richard Peers said: "We have guaranteed to ring-fence the salaries of the few staff affected for the next three years.

"The NUT insist we guarantee this for the next six years. We deeply regret the decision by the NUT to go on a number of day strikes.

"This cannot be in the interests of either our students or their parents at this critical point in their education.”