Teacher strikes show no sign of abating after more than half of schools closed or restricted attendance again this week, with the prospect of coordinated action in the autumn.
But fears that parents would keep their children out of school last Friday to take advantage of the strike dates and bank holiday to create a six-day holiday appear to have been overblown.
In an escalation of the bitter dispute over teacher pay and school funding, leaders of all four teaching and leadership unions held an unprecedented joint press conference to announce their intention to coordinate action if they win ballots due to be held this term.
But the government this week continued to refuse to hold fresh pay talks, describing threats of coordinated action as “unreasonable and disproportionate”.
