Teachers return to work after strike » Education » 24dash.com

Teachers are returning from the street to the classroom today after taking part in scores of rallies and marches to protest about below inflation wage rises and warn of a "serious downturn" in recruitment.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls visited a school where teachers continued to work, and claimed parents as well as other teachers were "annoyed and disappointed" at the action.

But the National Union of Teachers said it had caught the mood of its members, adding that support for the stoppage had exceeded its expectations.

One estimate said the strike had closed or partially affected up to 9,500 schools, affecting up to 2.9 million children.

Up to 7,000 people joined a march in central London, carrying banners describing the Prime Minister as a "clown" and warning that the Government was trying to "wreck" the education system.

Gordon Brown described the strike as "unjustifiable", but was urged by the NUT to halt the "downward spiral" in teachers' pay.

One in three schools in England and Wales were closed or partially shut, with up to 90% affected in some areas.

Christine Blower, acting general secretary of the NUT, said union membership had increased as a result of the dispute, adding that teachers' pay was now on a "downward spiral" after decent increases when Labour returned to power in 1997.

Dennis Gibbons, an officer for the Leeds branch of the NUT, said: "There is a recruitment crisis looming in the teaching profession.

"The Government's own figures tell us that upwards of 50% of trained teachers leave the profession within five years of starting due to pay, work load and pupil behaviour."

Mr Balls visited Wentworth Primary School in Dartford, Kent, and said he thought most teachers would be just as annoyed about the strike as he was.

"I think parents across the country will be annoyed and disappointed to see schools being closed today, and I feel many teachers will feel the same way too.

"The idea that lessons are being lost is very frustrating, and I'm sure I share that opinion with most teachers.

"There isn't a justification for the strike. We have accepted in full the recommended independent pay review. Over the last 10 years teachers' pay has risen substantially.

"The most important thing is that I think teachers ought to be teaching classes and that's what parents want as well and the large majority of teachers aren't supporting the strike."

The Times Educational Supplement said up to 5,000 schools were closed by the strike and a further 4,500 partially shut, affecting up to 2.9 million pupils.

But a DCSF spokesman said "more than 85% of schools have remained open or open with some classes affected".

The Government has made it clear it believes the teachers' three-year pay deal of 2.45% from September and rises of 2.3% in subsequent years was "fair and reasonable" after ministers accepted the recommendation from a pay review body.

Speaking as he visited a nursery in the West Midlands, the Prime Minister described the strike as "regrettable and unjustifiable", adding: "The teachers' review body is an independent review body. They have made recommendations for three year pay arrangements for teachers.

"It is regrettable and unjustifiable that teachers are now striking when this independent body is making its recommendations."

The Public and Commercial Services union said a strike by up to 100,000 civil servants caused "widespread disruption" across 10 Government departments and agencies, hitting driving tests, coastguard stations, immigration centres, jobcentres, benefit offices and pension contact centres.

The Government said it estimated that only 44,000 civil servants were on strike.