Schools will be shut and lessons cancelled across Medway when teachers go on strike this Thursday.

Every Medway secondary school is badly affected. See our list at the bottom of this page.

Several primary schools are also affected, with parents advised to contact individual schools.

A number of primaries, including Luton Infant School and St Thomas of Canterbury in Romany Road, Twydall, will be closed completely.

Members of two teaching unions, the NUT and NASUWT, will walk out on Thursday in a protest against the government's proposed changes to pay, conditions and pensions.

A joint strike by both unions is rare and they claim to represent 90% of the country's teachers.

The unions say the education secretary Michael Gove wants to make the school day longer, cut their pensions and increase workload and bureaucracy.

Kuljit Rahelu, principal of Chatham's Bishop of Rochester Academy, told parents: "Neither the governing body nor the principal is legally allowed to close the school 'in sympathy' with the strike and we will not do so.

"However, our main concern is the safety of our students. Early indications are that we will be unable to guarantee the health and safety of our students because of the number of colleagues involved in this action.

"It is illegal for the school to use supply teachers or non-striking teachers to cover the work of colleagues absent due to the strike and so the challenge to maintain a normal school day is significant."

The full list of Medway secondary schools is as follows.

Chatham

Fort Pitt Grammar School: Closed to years 8, 9, 10, reduced catering for others

Chatham Grammar for Girls: Closed to years 9, 10, timetable may be disrupted for others

St John Fisher: no reply to our calls

Chatham Grammar for Boys: 100 students only, first come first served, priority to Year 7

Bishop of Rochester Academy: Closed to years 7, 8, 9, 10, private study only for 12, 13

Walderslade Girls: Closed to years 8, 9, private study only for 12, 13

Greenacre: Closed to years 7, 8, 9, 10, two hours only for Year 11, private study only for 12, 13

Rochester & Strood

Rochester Grammar: 90 students only, first come first served

Rochester Math: Closed to years 9, 10 and half of Year 11

Thomas Aveling: Closed to years 8, 9, 10, 11

Strood Academy: Closed to years 8, 9, 10

Rainham

Howard School: CLOSED COMPLETELY

Rainham Mark Grammar: 100 students for private study only, first come first served; private study only for years 12, 13

Rainham School for Girls: closed to year 10, 10am start for year 9, 1.15pm finish for year 11, 3pm finish for all others

Gillingham

Robert Napier: Closed to years 7, 8, 9, 10

Brompton Academy: CLOSED COMPLETELY

Note: Schools with a first come first served policy need a slip to be returned by Wednesday morning.