Some schools have closed across the district as teachers walk out in in a national strike.

The walk-out over pay and pensions has been called by the National Union of Teachers, meaning some schools have closed completely or partially because staffing levels are below the limit needed to open.

Among them is Castle Community College in Deal.

The school’s executive principal Philip Bunn confirmed that pupils have the day off today.

“The school will be open again as normal on Thursday (March 27,) he said.”

The Local Education Authority at Kent County Council (LEA) said it is aware of just six schools in the district involved in the industrial action.

These are Whitfield and Aspen School, Deal Parochial Primary, Guston, Hornbeam, Sandown and the Downs.

Exact figures of closed or partially closed schools are blurred because they didn’t have to tell KCC before. And some are academies, like Castle Community and Sir Roger Manwoods, which is open only to youngsters revising for exams.

Mike Sherburn, KCC spokesman, said: “Schools are not obliged to tell us and members of the union aren’t obliged to tell us either.”

The industrial action is part of continuing protests over pay and pensions that have gone on for more than two years.

Most recently they are prompted by the Department for Education’s efforts to rewrite teachers’ working conditions.