Updated: Teachers' strike disrupts hundreds of schools in Yorkshire in funding protest

The NUT has called strike action across the country today.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) took part in rallies in cites around the region after the union voted by more than 9-1 in favour of industrial action.

Figures from seven of the 13 local councils responsible for schools across Yorkshire show that at least 247 schools were affected today.

Crowds also gathered for rallies at Bradford, Hull, Leeds and Sheffield.

The union said its demands of the Government were to increase funding to schools and education, guarantee terms and conditions in all types of schools for teachers, and to resume negotiations on teacher contracts to allow workload to be addressed.

The union has written to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan calling for “meaningful” discussions to tackle these issues.

It said its members had shown strong support for the strike, which it added was being backed by many parents.

“Most schools where action is being taken are affected by closures or reduced subjects,” said an NUT spokesman.

The NUT claims funding to schools is being cut, leading to increased workloads for teachers and bigger class sizes.

Acting general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “This has been a very well supported strike both by NUT members and the general public. We thank all those parents who have supported us despite the inconvenience it may have caused. This strike should not have been necessary.

“The NUT will keep campaigning to ensure that the education our children receive is not compromised through school budget cuts. We must invest in our education. Government needs to start listening.”

Schools minister Nick Gibb told the Commons: “The industrial action by the NUT is pointless but it is far from inconsequential - it disrupts children’s education, it inconveniences parents and it damages the profession’s reputation in the eyes of the public.

“But because of the dedication of the vast majority of teachers and head teachers, our analysis shows that seven out of eight schools are refusing to close.

“Our school workforce is, and must remain, a respected profession suitable for the 21st century, but this action is seeking to take the profession back, in public perception, to the tired and dated disputes of the 20th century.”

The Government says the schools budget is the highest it has ever been this year at £40 billion, and has gone up £4 billion since 2011-12.

But the NUT says that in real terms the budget for classrooms has gone down, leading to bigger class sizes and increased workloads for teachers.

The Department for Education pointed out that only 24% of NUT members took part in a ballot on strike action, adding that the Secretary of State wrote to the union before today’s action, saying it was “disingenuous” to suggest school funding was not being prioritised.

The Education Department said that out of the 21,957 publicly funded schools in England, 52.7 per cent are open, 17.4 per cent partially open, 10.2 per cent are closed and the status of 19.7 per cent is unknown.