Teachers across Dorset walked out as part of an ongoing dispute with the Government over pay and working conditions.

On Monday afternoon last-ditch talks broke down between union leaders and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan.

As a result, teachers who are members of the National Education Union (NEU) walked out on what is planned to be the first of several days of strike action over the coming months. 

Seven schools in Dorset closed completely as part of industrial action, whilst a further 37 remained partially open for a limited number of students.

Rosemary Rychnozsky, science teacher at Beaminster School, said: “We are out for two main reasons – one is that we haven’t had an above inflation pay rise in a very long time – teachers' pay has declined since 2010.

“It is about a funded pay rise. The pay rises that have been awarded have not been funded, so the pay rises we have got has come directly out of the classroom. So children’s books, facilities, are paying for our pay rise.

“And the other thing is about teacher recruitment and retention, so we know that trainees who enter the profession, a big percentage leave in the first year, and an even bigger percentage leave within three years, so there are very few teachers who stick it out.

“Most of us have and that’s why we are protesting because we need that new input of teachers to come into the profession."

On January 30 The UK Government passed a bill through the House of Commons which will require minimum service levels to be met at schools, hospitals and other institutions nationwide.

The Bill is now in the process of being observed in the House of Lords.

Should the bill become law, it could mean fines or legal action taken against workers taking industrial action.

Gillian Keegan, Education Secretary said in a statement: "I am disappointed the NEU is taking action despite our continued engagement. I’ve written to teacher unions calling on them to ask their members to inform schools if they intend to go on strike."