One million children in England and Wales could be locked out of school today as a result of the first national teachers’ strike in 20 years. A snap-shot survey of 91 local authorities by the Local Government Association found that a sixth of the 25,000 schools in England and Wales expect to close altogether, while a further sixth will be open only for selected classes.

The strike is being called by the National Union of Teachers in protest at a pay settlement below the rate of inflation. Christine Blower, the union’s acting general secretary, said that teachers should not be forced into the “boom and bust” pattern of public sector pay. “Year-on-year pay that fails to keep pace with inflation has real consequences for the profession and our schools,” she said. “It saps morale and causes problems of recruitment, retention and teacher shortages, not to mention real financial difficulty for our members. It is time to call a halt.” She could not say if there would be more strikes.

With two thirds of schools returning from the Easter break this week and many holding training days on Monday, decisions on closure in many areas were finalised only on Tuesday.

Although most GCSE and A-level exams do not start until next month, there are concerns that revision classes may be disrupted by the strike. The OCR exam board has two art A-level papers scheduled for tomorrow and a number of schools in Wales have had to reschedule internal assessments, originally planned for today.

Jim Knight, the Schools Minister, said that he shared the frustration of millions of parents that 10 per cent of the teaching workforce could cause so much disruption to their children’s education. “Many parents find it bewildering that the NUT is striking over pay when they learn that the average teacher earns £34,000 and after there has been a deal agreed by an independent review body,” he said.

Teachers’ pay has increased by 19 per cent in real terms since 1997. Teachers in England and Wales at the top of the pay scale in 1997 received £21,318. Today that figure would be £34,281. But the NUT argues that with the retail prices index running at 3.8 per cent, the 2.45 per cent settlement for next year, followed by 2.3 per cent in 2009 and 2010, represents a pay cut.

Joining the NUT members on strike will be some of the 27,500 lecturers from the University and College Union, who are in a separate dispute with their employers. Up to 100,000 civil servants are also striking over a 2 per cent public sector pay cap.

Catherine Tookey, 26, a newly qualified teacher at an inner London girls’ secondary school, has one main ambition, besides becoming an excellent teacher: to clear her debts by the age of 30 (Alexandra Frean writes).

Only then can she start thinking about saving to buy her own home. She is paying off student loans of £17,500 and £8,000 of credit card and overdraft debt, run up during her university study and teacher training.

“If the Government wants to make us pay £10,000 to train as teachers and they want to keep us in the job once we are trained, they have to make it worth it for us,” she said.

Ms Tookey, a citizenship teacher and NUT member who will be striking today, is unrepentant about the disruption the strike will cause to pupils. “Missing a day’s school is not ideal, but I don’t think the blame lies with the people going on strike.”

Ms Tookey earns £25,000 a year. Her take-home pay, after tax and student loan repayments is £1,400 a month. After rent, bills, food, travel and debt repayments, she has £320 disposable monthly income.“I have wanted to be a teacher since I was 15. I love children. It’s a real vocation. But I do sometimes wonder how long I will stay,” she said.

Are you a teacher or parent affected by the strike? Will your school close? Email us your comments

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