Teachers across York walked out again today in the long running national strike for an above inflation pay rise.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) across England voted to take industrial action in a dispute over pay and workloads.

Picket lines were mounted today (Tuesday, February 28) outside schools across the North of England.

The previous strike on February 1 saw seven York schools close, and today saw three York schools shut: Clifton Green Primary School, Fishergate Primary School, and Yearsley Grove Primary School.

All of York's secondary schools were partially closed today, meaning some were able to run for particular year groups.

Just one of York's three special schools, Applefields School, remained fully open.

York Labour councillors, Pete Kilbane and Jonny Crawshaw, attended the picket lines outside the Scarcroft and Knavesmire Primary Schools.

Cllr Kilbane said: "There was a great turn out today, with teachers, parents and their kids, teaching support staff and senior management coming to show their support. 

"There is no sign of the strikes going away until the government comes to sit around the table.

"The profession is losing teachers and our kids need a better education than this."

Cllr Crawshaw added: "As a parent, school Governor and local Councillor I was proud to stand in solidarity with staff at Scarcroft School this morning - as Cllr Kilbane did at Knavesmire School.

"When teaching staff are leaving the profession in droves, it’s important that we remind them just how valued they are by the local community.”

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: "I think the Government is fundamentally mistaken in thinking that industrial relations are solved by telling people you can’t go on strike if you want to talk to us.

“We are willing to meet at any time, and we would really hope that Ms Keegan (Education Secretary Gillian Keegan) does meet with us after these regional strikes and comes up with something serious that is an offer that we can put to members.

“That’s what we would want in an ideal world, to find a solution that means we don’t go ahead with those strikes in March."

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: "As a government, we have made a serious offer to the leaders of the National Education Union and Royal College of Nursing: pause this week’s strikes, get round the table and talk about pay, conditions and reforms.

"It is hugely disappointing the NEU has thus far refused this serious offer and has not joined the Royal College of Nurses in calling off strikes.

"Instead of sitting round a table discussing pay, the NEU will once again cause disruption for children and families in Yorkshire and the Humber.

"Children deserve to be in school, and further strike action is simply unforgivable, especially after everything children have been through because of the pandemic."