ALL secondary schools and some primary schools in west Dorset were due to be closed today, Thursday, amid strike action by school teachers.

Teaching staff have forced a shutdown of most schools with the a one-day walkout over pay, pensions and changes to the education system.

They include Colfox, Beaminster and Mountjoy. Woodroffe is closed except for sixth formers who can get in.

Charmouth Primary School is open.

The action by the National Union of Teachers (NUTNUT) and National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) is also affecting some primary schools.

There are around 2,000 members of the teachers’ unions in Dorset with many expected to take part in the national walk-out which has seen rolling strikes take place across England.

NUT Dorset secretary Geoff Cooke said: “It does seem likely that the majority of the membership is taking part.

“We are never pleased that schools are closing because it means children being sent home.

“Teachers search their consciences before doing this.”

He added: “Schools in Dorset are in danger of losing a lot of integrity, funding and prestige they have had for many, many years because of the education reforms.”

The Sir John Colfox School in Bridport and the Beaminster School will be shut. The Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis was due to be closed although it is open to sixth formers.

The final decision to close a school rests with the head teacher and chairman of governors – not Dorset County Council. Schools are not obliged to inform the council of their decision.

A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “We are working to ensure that as many pupils as possible can attend lessons during a planned teachers’ strike.

“The council has been urging schools to stay open, where possible, during the National Union of Teachers’ industrial action.

“Schools should be informing parents directly if headteachers and governors decide to close or partially close.

"School transport should run as normal where schools are open, and with modified services in areas affected by a school closure.

"The final decision as to whether a school remains open, closed or partially closed lies with the headteacher and the chair of governors.”

PARENTS’ group leader Margaret Morrissey blasted the teaching unions’ decision to take industrial action.

Mrs Morrissey, of Parents Outloud, said: “I am absolutely disgusted. It is not acceptable in any way.

“I don’t want to hear another teacher from the union ever complaining again if a parent takes a child out of school for a day.

“If it is okay for the teachers it is okay for the parents. They have shot themselves in the foot this time.”

Mrs Morrissey said the strike brought back memories of the wave of industrial action and school closures of the 1980s when she became involved in education and parents’ groups.

She said: “Parents do everything they can to support teachers but they will not support this. I am sad that they feel that they can do this. I’m not sure that they really think they are going to achieve by going on strike.”

Mrs Morrissey said that it would also cause problems in terms of child care arrangements.

She added: “It will make an awful lot of parents very cross and cause problems for them.

“The teachers will turn around and say that they are not babysitters. But they are professional educated people of whom we expect better.”

SCHOOLS

Beaminster School: CLOSED

Mountjoy School Beaminster: CLOSED

Sir John Colfox School: CLOSED

Thomas Hardye School: CLOSED

Woodroffe School: CLOSED (open to sixth- formers who can make it in)  Bridport Primary School: CLOSED

Broadwindsor Primary School: reception CLOSED but primary open

Burton Bradstock School: OPEN

Charmouth Primary School: OPEN

Loders Primary School: CLOSED

Marshwood Primary School: OPEN

Mrs Ethelston’s Primary School, Uplyme: OPEN

Parrett & Axe Primary School, Mosterton: CLOSED

Powerstock Primary School: OPEN l Salway Ash Primary School: OPEN

St Catherine’s Primary School, Bridport: OPEN

St Mary’s Primary School, Bridport: OPEN

St Mary’s School, Beaminster: OPEN

St Mary’s, Thorncombe: OPEN

St Michael’s Primary School: OPEN

Sticklands Primary School, Evershot: OPEN

Symondsbury Primary School, Bridport: ‘LIKELY’ TO BE CLOSED

Thorner’s Primary School, Litton Cheney: OPEN

Winterbourne Valley First School, Winterbourne Abbas: OPEN