PUPILS across the borough are getting an extra day off school as their teachers strike for better pay.

At least seven secondary schools are partially closed due to the strike action and are only admitting upper year students to take exam classes.

Members of the NUT have taken the action because of a dispute with the Government over a below-inflation pay rise.

The union argues that the 2.4 per cent pay rise, rising to 2.3 per cent next year and again the year after that, is not enough.

A spokesman for the NUT said it had an impact on teachers leaving their jobs as they left for higher salaries in other industries.

She said: “Teachers’ pay is not keeping pace at the rate of inflation and they are struggling like all pubic sector workers to buy housing, afford rent, rising gas prices and food.

“It is a graduate profession and in general the average salary is £3,000 less than other equivalent salaries.

“Information from the Teacher Development Agency shows us 50 per cent of teachers leave within three years. That’s a massive amount.

“It’s very heartbreaking for a teacher who has spent four years training and three years in a job to have to leave and it’s not good for our country that it’s happening.”

Teachers involved in the strike will be heading to central London to join in the march which will pass Downing Street.