SOME schools across Warrington will close tomorrow as teachers head out on strike over a pay and pensions dispute.

Appleton Thorn Primary School,  Penketh Primary School, St Benedict’s Primary School, St Bridget’s Primary School, St Oswald’s Primary School and Winwick Primary School have all confirmed that they will close on Wednesday. 

Recent figures published by the Government show that teachers in primary schools are working 60 hours a week, claim the National Union of Teachers.

The NUT believes that this is too much and that it is one of the reasons why so many young teachers are leaving the profession.

Avis Gilmore, north west regional secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said they ‘deeply regret the disruption caused’.

She added: “Teachers’ levels of workload are intolerable, their national pay framework has been dismantled so that in every school head teachers and governors have to worry about developing a pay system instead of focussing on teaching and learning and they are being asked to work to the age of 68 or even later for a full pension.”

“The NUT recognises that other workers are also having their pensions squeezed and their pay frameworks dismantled.

"We believe that this is wrong too – everyone should be entitled to a decent standard of living now and in retirement.”

The strike follows a series of regional strikes in the autumn where members from the NUT were joined with teachers from fellow teaching union, NASUWT.

Members of the NASUWT will not be taking part in the walk out on Wednesday.

Warrington Borough Council has confirmed that the majority of schools in Warrington will be affected by the industrial action but some schools will remain fully open.

The following schools will be partially open on Wednesday.

Barrow Hall, Beamont Primary, Bewsey Lodge Primary, Bradshaw Primary, Bridgewater High, Brook Acre Primary, Broomfields, Bruche Primary, Burtonwood Primary, Chapelford Village, Culcheth High, Culcheth Primary School, Dallam Primary, Glazebury, Gorse Covert Primary, Grappenhall St Wilfrid’s, Great Sankey Primary, Green Lane School, Latchford St James Primary, Locking Stumps Primary, Newchurch Primary, Oakwood Primary, Penketh South Primary, Ravenbank Primary, Sacred Heart Primary, Sankey Valley St James, St Augustine’s, St Elphin's (Fairfield) Primary, St Gregory's High School, St Lewis Primary, St Paul of the Cross Primary, St Phillip’s CE Westbrook, St Stephen’s Primary, St Vincent’s, Stretton St Matthew’s, Thelwall Junior, Warrington St Barnabas, Westbrook Old Hall Primary, Woolston CE Aided, Woolston Community Primary, Lymm High School, Penketh High.

A number of schools have not confirmed if they will be affected.

Click here for details.