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Headteachers locked in dispute over pay, workload and funding have rejected an offer from the Welsh Government.

Following a ten-day ballot, 54.5% of the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) Cymru trade union’s members voted to reject the latest offer.

The union said it was clear funding arrangements remained a major concern for headteachers and other school leaders.

However, headteachers, deputy headteachers, assistant headteachers and other school leaders who are NAHT Cymru members will stop short of going on strike.

Instead, they will not respond to emails and calls before 9am and after 3pm, and won’t attend meetings after 5pm.

They will also refuse to engage with schools inspectorate Estyn beyond what is required, and won’t provide information regarding staff involvement in industrial action.

Those involved in the action will also not take part in any staff appraisals or redundancy processes, and will abstain from arranging cover for striking staff.

NAHT Cymru director Laura Doel, who has called for further talks to end the stand-off, said: “At the heart of our dispute has been a desire to protect the delivery of education for children in Wales. 

“This ballot result sends a clear message that our members do not believe they can maintain the level of support pupils deserve when they are being short-changed by some local authorities on the promise of funding.

“The only way our members can afford to meet the costs without the money they need will be to make redundancies. This will have a detrimental impact on education for this and future generations and therefore we are urging the Welsh Government to intervene and help save our schools from ruin.”