Strikes are 'futile' and damage children's education, teachers told as hundreds prepare for school closures

Schools across England are expected to fully or partially close as a result of the one-day strike by NUT members on Tuesday

NUT members last held a national strike two years ago, leading to thousands of schools across the country being forced to shut (PA)

Teaching strikes are “futile and politically motivated gestures" that risk damaging children’s education, the leader of a teaching union has warned, as hundreds of schools prepare for a national walkout over pay and funding.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) voted in favour of industrial action last month, after failed attempts to negotiate working conditions and lack of funding for most schools across the country.

Hundreds of schools are expected to either fully or partially close across England on Tuesday as a result.

Union officials have suggested the strike could be the first of many this summer, but the Department for Education (DfE) has said the action is “unnecessary” and “damaging”.

The NUT has warned that the majority of schools in England will be affected either through “complete closure, partial closure or a reduced timetable”.

Deborah Lawson, general secretary of Voice, a union founded on the principle of not taking industrial action, said striking was a “political action” which should not be considered even as “a last resort”.

Writing for the Daily Telegraph, she said: “[Strikes] fail to impact on those responsible for disputed policies but do provide ammunition for politicians and politically-motivated commentators eager to portray teachers as militant hardliners who are unwilling to compromise.

“Instead, they cause great inconvenience ... for pupils, parents and non-striking colleagues across the school team, damaging pupils education, staffroom relations and the economy, as many parents are forced to take time off work.”

She added: “Futile, politically-motivated, gesture-politics strikes simply strengthen the case for government interference and further rob the profession of the opportunity to wrest education away from political ideology.”

Kevin Courtney, acting general secretary of the NUT said: “The NUT is aware that strike action can be disruptive to parents and carers and for that we wholeheartedly apologise.

“Equally, teachers do not take strike action lightly. The problems facing education, however, are too great to be ignored and we know many parents share our concerns.

“The strike is about the underfunding of our schools and the negative impact it is having on children’s education and teachers’ terms and conditions.”

In a letter to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, the NUT said a “lack of progress” made during talks between the two parties meant industrial action was unavoidable.

“We are already seeing class sized increased, fewer subject choices for children, and teachers and support staff being cut resulting in less individual attention for children,” Mr Courtney said.

The Department for Education said schools must take “all reasonable steps” to avoid disruption, and could use volunteers such as a “sports coach or scout group helper” to support staff.