More than 70 schools across Wigan borough have been affected by today’s strike – with three primary schools shut completely and 68 other schools partially closed.
Members of the National Education Union (NEU) in Wigan and across the North have walked out, with strikes planned in other parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday.
Banners and placards were waved on picket lines at Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley and Parklee Primary School in Atherton, while passing drivers beeped their car horns to show their support.
From the picket line, Karen Parkin, a primary school teacher and Wigan NEU’s joint district secretary, said: “We are taking action today as a last resort because we need the Government to listen.
"Our schools are woefully under-funded. They continued to be woefully under-funded and we are putting our children first and that’s what we want this Government to do.
"We are striking about pay, but it is not just about pay – we need the schools to have the full funding so that the pay rise that teachers need can come out of the Government pot, rather than the schools’ pot.
"For years we have had below-inflation pay rises, if we have had pay rises, and the cost of everything is going up – the cost of living is increasing continuously, fuel bills are sky-high but wages have not rise in line with inflation.
"We need the Government to make us a sensible offer so that we can cease this industrial action and get back to the classroom, which is where we really want to be.”
1. Teachers on the picket line
Teachers, members of the National Education Union and supporters on a picket near Fred Longworth High School, Tyldesley Photo: Michelle Adamson
2. Teachers on the picket line
A message to Education Secretary Gillian Keegan Photo: Michelle Adamson
4. Teachers on the picket line
Karen Parkin, Wigan NEU's joint district secretary, on the picket line at Fred Longworth High School Photo: Michelle Adamson