Hi °C | Lo °C A teachers' strike in Northern Ireland ended tonight after employers and unions representatives reached a settlement.
The Labour Relations Agency said teachers at Movilla High School in Newtownards would return to class on Monday after the three-week stoppage.
They had walked out after a dispute over an alleged assault on a teacher by a pupil.
The teenager is due to appear in juvenile court next month in relation to the incident.
Staff who refused to teach the 15-year-old boy took the action after the South Eastern Education and Library Board informed them their pay would be suspended.
A settlement had stalled over a union precondition that it could have access to an independent report that is to be carried out on the pupil's needs.
The deal was finally struck after the board agreed to allow one nominated union representative access after it gained the consent of the boy's parents.
It came despite a last-minute wrangle over the detail of the settlement.
The outstanding issues regarding a union request to be granted direct contact with the independent expert conducting the assessment were resolved after negotiations with the LRA.
A spokesman for the agency confirmed a settlement had now been reached.
"As a result of discussions through the Labour Relations Agency agreement has been reached between the NASUWT and the SEELB which enables the strike action at Movilla High School to be suspended and the children and teachers to return to school on Monday November 3."
A spokesman for the SEELB welcomed the settlement.
"We are very pleased this has come to end and only too grateful that all children will be returning to the school on Monday."
The union is suspending the action, and has reserved the right to resume the strike if the terms of the agreement are not honoured.
Peter Scott from NASUWT said the matter could have been sorted out much sooner if the board had been more willing to consider the union's position.
"We welcome the fact this has been resolved, but it's just a pity it took so long," he said.
Education Minister Caitriona Ruane also welcomed the announcement.
"I thank the parents involved for helping to move this dispute forward and welcome the suspension of the strike by the NASUWT union.
"The SEELB will now be working to reopen Movilla High School for lessons next Monday so pupils and teachers can get classes back to normal.
"My department is currently in the process of identifying an independent assessor to assess the educational needs of the individual pupil.
"The assessment will commence as soon as possible and I hope we are now nearing the end of this dispute."
The school's 540 pupils have missed two weeks of classes with the school now on its scheduled mid-term break.
