Three town schools will be closed to pupils tomorrow (Thursday) as teachers take part in a strike in a row over pay, pensions and workloads.

The Westlands, Sittingbourne Community College and Murston Junior School will be shut to all year groups while partial closures will be in place at Fulston Manor, Borden Grammar and Milton Court Academy.

The industrial action is part of a continuing campaign of rolling regional strikes involving members of the National Union of Teachers and National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers.

The strikers are angry about changes to their pensions, increased workloads and government plans to bring in performance-related pay.

Fulston head teacher Alan Brookes (pictured above) said: “We are anticipating approximately 40 of our teaching staff taking part in Thursday’s day of action and, as a result, have asked parents to keep students in Years 7, 8 and 9 at home.

“All of Year 10 and 11 will be expected in school and sixth-form lessons will take place with those members of staff who are in school on the day by prior arrangement.”

Jon Whitcombe, principal of the Swale Academies Trust of which The Westlands and SCC are part, said: “Both sites will be closed to all year groups except post-16 students, who will be able to go in for private studying.”

Borden’s chairman of governors, Phil Bromwich, (pictured) said: “This is likely to affect a large number of staff in our school, so we anticipate staffing being very reduced on that day.

“Neither the governing body nor the head teacher 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, so the school will be open for Years 7, 12 and 13 only.”

Years 1 and 2 will be closed at Milton Court. All other classes will remain open as normal.

Kent County Council says it is aware of 19 closures and 31 partial closures at schools across the county, but said those figures could rise.

A county council spokesman said: “We are waiting for schools to contact us to let us know.”