Schools across Worcestershire are set to be affected as another round of teachers’ strikes gets underway.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) are striking on Thursday, April 27 and Tuesday, May 2 in a dispute over pay.

Previous strike days took place in February and March, with a number of schools in the county closing either completely or to specific year groups.

Why are teachers striking?

The NEU is calling for a fully funded, above-inflation pay increase for its members.

It says teachers are leaving the profession “in their droves” and - thanks to soaring levels of inflation - have effectively seen their wages drop by 23% since 2010.

The Government has offered teachers a one-off payment of £1,000 for the current academic year, plus average pay rises of 5.4% in September 2022 and 4.5% for 2023-24.

READ MORE: Worcester schools announce plans as teachers set to walk out over pay dispute

But these offers have been rejected by the union, which says they are still below inflation levels.

A union spokesperson said: “NEU members do not want to go on strike – they want to be in the classroom, teaching and supporting our amazing children and young people.

“But there is a crisis of recruitment and retention within the school system. A decade of falling pay is a key reason for this and needs to be addressed by the government.”

Which schools will be closed in Worcestershire?

A lot of schools won’t be able to say for sure how they’ll be affected on strike days, as teachers don’t have to give their headteachers advance notice of their decision to strike.

But a handful of schools have already declared partial closures.

On April 27, Red Hill Primary School in Worcester will be closed to classes 1HT, 4AC, 4LM, 5BM and 5LB. On May 2, the school will be closed to classes RKR, 4LM, 5BM, 5LB and 6EH.

Bredon Hancock’s Endowed First School, in Evesham, will be closed to Class 4 from 1pm onwards on April 27 and the Reception class will be closed all day. On May 2, Class 4 will be closed all day.

Westlands First School in Droitwich will also be affected. Reception King Penguins class will be closed on April 27 and May 2 but the rest of the school will remain open as usual.

We'll keep you updated on the latest school closures as and when they are announced.