PARENTS face disruption with some schools threatened with closure during a one-day teachers’ strike next month.

Mums and dads might have to pay for childcare or take a day off work to look after their children when National Union of Teachers members walk out on Wednesday, March 26.

Most schools in Somerset opened either partially or fully during the previous day of action before Christmas.

Head teachers are hoping teachers in the NASUWT union, which backed the action last time, refuse to join the latest strike, meaning even more schools could remain open.

Vicki Nash, NUT divisional secretary for South and West Somerset, said the strike could be called off if Education Secretary Michael Gove agreed to “talk about pay, pensions and workload”.

She said: “He’s trying to take away things we’ve worked very hard for and he’s not listening to what’s making a difference to teachers.

“We’re making sure children’s standards are higher and they’re achieving more.

“Children and parents are on our side – they can see the deterioration in our working conditions. They can see teachers are stressed and tired.

“We’re hoping to be at work on March 26. Striking isn’t what we want to do, but we’re being forced into it – we’re dedicated to the care of children and the community that we’re part of.”

NASUWT bosses have opted to continue trying to negotiate with Michael Gove and say they will “consider plans for the next phase of industrial action”.

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Parents will struggle to understand why the NUT is pressing ahead with strikes over the Government’s measures to let heads pay good teachers more.

“They called for talks to avoid industrial action, we agreed to their request, and those talks will begin shortly.

“Despite this constructive engagement with their concerns, the NUT is nevertheless taking strike action that will disrupt parents’ lives, hold back children’s education and damage the reputation of the profession.”