South West teachers take to picket lines over pay

Seven strike days have been announced with teachers in Devon and Cornwall due to take part in three more days of action

Teachers in the South West have taken to picket lines to strike over pay.

The strikes are in pursuance of a fully-funded, above inflation pay rise, the National Education Union said.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said she expected the "majority" of schools to remain open despite the strikes.

She said she was "disappointed" strikes were going ahead and added the industrial action was "unnecessary" as discussions with the unions were ongoing.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Ms Keegan said the country "could not afford" above inflation pay awards.

Hannah Packham, South West regional secretary for the National Education Union (NEU), said the union's aims were "in the interests of everyone in the education community".

Ms Packham said "experienced teachers" had seen a 23% real-term pay cut since 2010.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said she expected the "majority" of schools to remain open despite the strikes

Fiona McGee, whose daughter's school in Cornwall closed on Wednesday due to the strikes, said she understood why teachers were striking.

She said: "I think they've been chronically under-funded for years, they're picking up the after effects of Covid, there's a crisis in children's mental health, and they're having to deal with all of the ongoing issues from young people being in lockdown and things like that.

"So, I'm really not surprised they're striking at all."

Mike Gurney, a teacher and the NEU representative at Okehampton College in Devon, told BBC Radio Devon he would "much rather not be out on strike".

Thousands of schools in England and Wales have closed for the day because of the action

Mr Gurney said: "I've taught in the school for over 20 years, and I'm really proud to teach here, and I'd rather be teaching my year 11s and getting them ready for their exams, but schools are in crisis.

"I've never done anything like this in my life, but I feel so angry about the fact that there's such staff shortages and the government hasn't addressed it."

"Children are losing out, not just today, but they're losing out every day because they haven't got trained teachers in front of them."

NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said taking strike action was "very much a last resort" for the union's members

Mr Gurney said teachers were "feeling at the end of their tethers".

According to the NEU, 85% of schools will be impacted in some way. The Department for Education is expected to release figures of school closures later in the day.

Ms Keegan defended the government's record on school funding and told BBC Breakfast it "makes no sense to give inflation-busting pay rises to some of the workforce" at a time when prices are rising for everyone.

More than 100,000 are expected to walk out, the NEU said, along with university staff, civil servants, train and bus drivers.

Thousands of teachers are taking strike action on what has been dubbed Walkout Wednesday