A ONE-DAY strike by two teaching unions will force a Crow country school to close and several others to run reduced classes.

Members of both the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers have planned the industrial action for June 30, in protest at Government plans to reform teachers’ pensions.

The Crow contacted a number of local schools with many expecting disruption.

In a letter to parents Roysia Middle School stated: “As nearly all of our teachers will be taking strike action on June 30 we will not be able to guarantee the safety of all of our children on that day. Therefore I regret to inform you that we will be closing the school.”

Sue Kennedy, the headteacher of Greneway School, will be participating in the protest and says it is the first time she has taken part in union organised industrial action in 30 years of teaching.

“The school will definitely be affected by it,” she said.

“What we will probably have to do is partially close. What’s meant by that is certain classes will not be cancelled, as they’re taught by teachers who are not members of those unions.

“Those teachers who are not coming in will not be getting paid – we were hoping it wasn’t going to happen.

“I’m sure it will affect other schools. It will be very disruptive for them all.

“Most of us were not intending to strike. We don’t really want to strike, but have chosen to do so for younger people in our profession.”

Despite the disruption the strikes could have on pupils and their parents the NUT is standing by its convictions.

Hilary Bucky, Eastern region secretary of the NUT, said: “We are calling all our members in Royston schools and all schools to come out and strike.

“We can’t say how many members will come out. We’re hoping and expecting they all will. We have members in all schools in Royston, so I would expect all schools to be affected.”

Icknield Walk First School will have teachers on strike, but said the nursery and two classes would be running, although it was unable to comment on how the strike would affect pupils.

Tannery Drift stated there would be no impact as its members of staff were associated with another union.

Meridian School said between 10-12 teachers would be striking.

Studlands Rise First School declined to comment and referred The Crow to Hertfordshire County Council, the local teaching authority.

“The council expects all schools to remain open.

“However the decision will be taken by the head-teachers,” said a council spokesman.

Cambridgeshire County Council stated that it was unknown at the time of going to press how the strike would affect its schools, which include Bassingbourn and Melbourn village colleges.

A spokesman said: “We have about 12,000 teaching staff in Cambridgeshire and about 2,000 belong to the NUT, so we don’t know how many will be on strike.

“Schools will be required to tell us beforehand if they are required to close – we simply don’t know at the moment.”