teachers will accept a new pay and hours deal at a meeting in the new year.

The latest offer will be put to members at a meeting at CedarBridge Academy on January 5.

Mr. Charles said: "There has to be a bit of give and take. It's a reasonable offer. I am guardedly optimistic teachers will look at it favourably.'' Earlier in the year teachers staged an Island-wide sick-out after claiming the Government was failing to honour a commitment on teachers' hours.

But Mr. Charles said further industrial action was unlikely.

He explained: "If they don't accept it, we'll go back to Government and carry on negotiating. We haven't reached an impasse.'' EDUCATION ED