Teachers across York mounted picket lines outside schools as part of the ongoing national strike, calling for an above inflation pay rise.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) across England organised a walkout today (March 15), and tomorrow, in a dispute over pay and workloads.

Picket lines were mounted across York, including Scarcroft Primary School, and York High School.

Wednesday's strike saw four York schools close - Yearsley Grove Primary School, Dringhouses Primary School, Copmanthorpe Primary School, and Clifton Green Primary School - although Copmanthorpe will just be partially closed tomorrow.

All of York's secondary schools were partially closed on Wednesday, meaning some were able to run for particular year groups, and Applefields School was the only special school in York to stay fully open.

York Labour councillors Katie Lomas and Jonny Crawshaw attended picket lines in support of the strike.

Cllr Lomas said: "Talking to NEU members I heard about the struggles they have providing a quality education and surrounding support to children when the schools are short on staff (both teachers and support staff) because they can't recruit and retain them and because budgets are cut to the minimum.

"They talked about colleagues not able to live in the city where they work due to wages not keeping pace with the cost of housing and with the cost of living crisis now facing tough choices as their lengthy journey to work becomes too much to afford." 

Cllr Crawshaw added: "On the picket line this morning, teachers told me how they just want to get back to teaching but know that if they don’t take a stand, they and their colleagues could be forced to choose between staying in the profession and making ends meet."

In an open letter to parents on March 14, the Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: "The single best thing the NEU could do for both its members and for children and young people would be to sit down and talk about pay.

"I will continue doing everything I can to end the disruption your family is facing as quickly as possible, particularly because I know exams for older pupils are coming up fast.”

Ms Keegan first invited the NEU to talks on teachers’ pay three weeks ago on the condition that the union’s planned strikes were cancelled.

But the NEU refused to suspend the strike action in England until a pay offer that could end the dispute is put forward.

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: "The NEU regrets the inconvenience caused to parents, children and young people by strike action. The responsibility for this lies squarely with the education secretary.

"The NEU has said time and again we will meet for talks. As in Wales and Scotland, strike action was paused when a serious offer was made, and members were consulted on it, and as a result progress has been made.

"Gillian Keegan’s digging in of heels, and refusal to engage has meant that England yet again lags behind other countries.”