Thousands of teachers across Norfolk take strike action

The Norfolk branch of the National Education Union (NEU) said the response from parents to the strike had been positive

More than 170 schools across Norfolk have closed or partially closed as teachers take part in national strike action.

It is the first of seven scheduled days of industrial action organised by the National Education Union (NEU) following a vote by members.

Teachers want to be paid in line with inflation.

The government's Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said "inflation-busting pay rises" were not realistic.

Scott Lyons, a teacher at Fakenham Academy and branch secretary of the Norfolk NEU, said the response had been positive from parents.

"Teachers want to be in classes and having the impact in classes, that's what we enjoy doing and that's what we're good at and that's what we're trained at.

"I've got a son in Year 11 and I want him at school but I also want him to have a fully funded school, I want him to have specialist teachers and there to be specialist provision for special educational needs children in his class," he added.

"Until the government starts listening, unfortunately we're going to have to take this action."

• Live Updates: Strikes hit schools as teachers join mass walkout

• Walk-out not just about pay, say striking teachers

• 'Deciding to close our school has been horrible'

Ms Keegan told BBC Breakfast: "Inflation is there, it's a spike, it's obviously affecting everybody in the country, we understand that, but the most important thing for us to do as a government is to get inflation down so that everybody feels better off.

"We cannot risk fuelling inflation with inflation-busting pay rises."

It was expected to be the largest day of industrial action in a decade with civil servants, train and bus drivers and university lecturers also striking.