A NUMBER of Tynedale schools will be at least partially closed today as teachers go on strike.

Teacher members of the National Education Union (NEU) are due to stage fresh walkouts today (April 27) and on Tuesday in an ongoing dispute over pay.

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

Four education unions – the NEU, the NASUWT teaching union, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) – have rejected the pay offer.

Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the NEU, said Education Secretary Gillian Keegan "has been told by the profession – and a significant majority of the profession – that her pay and funding offer is not good enough".

"Her response has been to deny the way the wind is blowing. She is refusing to return to the negotiating table," she said.

"It is this inaction, this silence which has left NEU teacher members in England’s schools and sixth form colleges to reluctantly take two more days of national strike action."

A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: "We have made a fair and reasonable teacher pay offer to the unions, which recognises teachers’ hard work and commitment. Next year, school funding will be at its highest level in history – per pupil, in real terms.

"We know schools are facing increased costs like energy and staffing, and are providing an extra £2 billion in each of the next two years to cover those costs. As a result, school funding is set to rise faster than forecast inflation in both 2023/24 and 2024/25."