Video: Last night I worked till nearly 6pm says striking teacher

Rallies in Leeds and Sheffield attracted the support of teachers from across the strike-hit areas, with many carrying banners calling for Education Secretary Michael Gove to be removed from his post.

The strike, which affected over 100 schools in Leeds alone, saw supporters march through the city centre before meeting at Victoria Gardens on The Headrow for a rally.

Speakers there included national NUT official Ian Murch, who is also the union’s branch secretary for Bradford, Leeds’ NUT branch secretary Patrick Murphy and new teacher Laura Fisher.

Mr Murphy said: “Our working conditions are children’s learning conditions and on Tuesday we will be defending both.”

Many parents took to the web to express frustrattion at having to organise childcare or take time off work, while others said they supported the industrial action.

The one-day walkout by two of the teachers’ unions, National Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Association of School Masters and the Union of Women teachers (NASUWT), is a protest over changes to pay, pensions and the Government’s approach to education.

At the Sheffield rally, Ross Napier, a Rotherham teacher interviewed by the Yorkshire Post defended the strike, pointing out that working hours stretched far beyond the school day. “Last night I was with a student until nearly 6pm,” he said.

Speaking before a rally in Birmingham, which was attended by around 2,500 people, the vice-president on the NUT, Max Hyde, said teachers were angry about numerous aspects of the Government’s education policy.

Acknowledging that many of those at the rally were angry at what they feel is Mr Gove’s personal “disregard” for their profession, Ms Hyde said: “This strike is about our concerns about what Mr Gove is doing to education, about teachers’ working conditions, about his mission to deregulate pay, and also to restore our pensions.

“Teachers are very angry at the moment.

“We have taken a very, very difficult step to come out on strike because Mr Gove is not listening to us.”

Teachers had exhausted every other avenue prior to taking strike action, Ms Hyde claimed, adding: “I know it’s very, very disruptive for parents but we want parents to get angry with the man who’s causing this - and that’s Mr Gove.

“It’s very difficult to take action when it affects people that you are close to.

“In general the public have a high regard for teachers and if we explain why we are taking this action then I’m sure they will understand and they will join us in saying ‘enough is enough - we want a better future for our children’.

“We want teachers to have fair pay for what they do, and a good education system for all our children, not just some of our children.”

As well as pay and pension reforms, many teachers voiced concerns at the decision to permit schools to employ non-qualified teaching staff and introduce performance-related pay.

NUT member Simon Debenham, who teaches at Birmingham’s Heath Mount Primary School, said: “The teaching profession is being massively attacked and undermined by an education secretary who doesn’t listen to the profession, a man who has a very blinkered vision based on his own education.

“He is trying to impose his vision on children without consultation and without listening to genuine concerns.”

The industrial action was condemned by the Government, which defended its plans to reform pay structures.

A DfE spokeswoman said: “It is disappointing that the NUT and NASUWT are striking over the Government’s measures to allow heads to pay good teachers more.”

A recent poll found that 61% of those questioned backed linking teachers’ pay to performance - a key Government reform currently being introduced - she insisted, adding that the survey also found that majority of respondents were opposed to the walkouts or thought teachers should not be allowed to strike.

“All strikes will do is disrupt parents’ lives, hold back children’s education and damage the reputation of the profession,” the spokeswoman said.

The first regional walkout took place in the North West on June 27, and further strikes are expected to take place on October 17 in the North East, South East, South West and London.

Plans for a national one-day walkout before Christmas have also been announced by the two unions.