TEACHERS in York took to the picket line outside a primary school during a fresh round of strike action today (May 2)

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) are back on the picket lines as they stage a fresh strike in a long-running pay row.

The NEU – which also staged a strike on Thursday – believed the majority of schools would either restrict access to pupils or fully close during the walkouts.

In York, that has meant the primary schools Clifton Green, Fishergate, and Yearsley Grove have had to completely close.

All of York's secondary schools have partially closed, meaning classes will only be held for some year groups, and Applefields is the only special school remaining fully open.

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Teachers at Scarcroft Primary School, in South Bank, which is partially open today, held a picket line this morning, as they did on the previous round of strikes back in February.

York Press: School strike outside Scarcroft Primary School this morningSchool strike outside Scarcroft Primary School this morning (Image: Cllr Jonny Crawshaw)

This round of teacher strikes follows 98 per cent of balloted union members rejecting the pay and funding offer from the Government.

The Government offered teachers a £1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and a 4.5 per cent rise for staff next year.

However Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said teachers have had a 23 per cent pay cut since 2010.

She said: "The Secretary of State who remains, by some distance, the biggest obstacle to getting a sensible resolution, needs to address this issue head on.

"This wilful lack of engagement will be something that parents and teachers will not forget.”

York Press: Signage from Scarcroft's picket line todaySignage from Scarcroft's picket line today (Image: Cllr Jonny Crawshaw)

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “For unions to co-ordinate strike action with the aim of causing maximum disruption to schools is unreasonable and disproportionate, especially given the impact the pandemic has already had on their learning.

“Children’s education has always been our absolute priority and they should be in classrooms where they belong.

“We have made a fair and reasonable teacher pay offer to the unions, which recognises teachers’ hard work and commitment as well as delivering an additional £2 billion in funding for schools, which they asked for.”