As many as 200,000 members of the National Education Union are estimated to have walked out on Wednesday (February 1) – forcing the full closure of around one in 10 schools.
Early estimates from the Department for Education (DfE) suggest that around 9% of all schools were fully closed, with at least 43% partially closed, and 44% or so fully open.
It was the first in a series of walk-outs planned by the NEU between now and mid-March in a dispute over pay and took place after last ditch talks between unions and the DfE on Monday (January 30) failed to make progress.
Walking out were teachers in schools and sixth form colleges in England and Wales and support staff members in Wales. They are fighting for a 10% pay rise.
