London was on Wednesday the region worst hit by teacher strikes, as thousands of children were forced to stay at home.
More than 750,000 pupils in the capital were being disrupted by the walkouts as hundreds of schools closed partially or fully for the seventh time this year.
School leaders called for the Government and the National Education Union to bring an end to the dispute, before another planned strike on Friday.
A spokeswoman for the Harris Federation, which runs 52 schools in and around London, said: “These strikes are not new, but the situation has been gradually getting worse and it is clear that an adjustment is required.
“As a result of Covid, pupils have experienced huge disruption to their learning and these strikes are very damaging to their education.”
Steve Chalke, head of Oasis, which runs more than 50 schools around the country including 14 in London and the South-East, said the capital is being worst hit by the strikes.
He said: “Our teaching cohort in London is younger and therefore more militant. They are idealistic… I think in London numbers are bolstered hugely by those young, idealistic, passionately driven staff.”
During previous walkouts fewer than one in five schools nationally were fully open, with just 18 per cent of schools in the capital fully open.
Teachers today formed picket lines outside school gates and then marched on Parliament.
Dr Mary Bousted, joint General Secretary of the NEU, who attended a picket at Heber primary in Southwark then led the rally, said: “We are taking strike action with great reluctance, but teachers are left with no choice when faced with a Government that refuses to negotiate on the issue of a fully-funded pay increase for teachers in England.”
The NEU is re-balloting members to seek support for strike action in the autumn term. Other education unions could join future strikes.
Teachers are calling for above-inflation pay rises which are fully funded and do not come from schools’ existing budgets.
A spokesman for the Department for Education said: “We have made a fair and reasonable pay offer to teachers recognising their incredible work and commitment.”
