TEACHERS across schools in south Devon are joining members of the National Education Union today in their latest day of industrial action. 

Schools in Teignbridge are among those affected.

Teachers from Coombeshead College, Newton Abbot College and Teignmouth School have previously been involved in pickets and national marches highlighting the union’s campaign for better pay and conditions 

A spokesman for the NEU said: ‘We demand better from Government – for ourselves, our pupils and the profession.’

They called on Education Minister Gillian Keegan to avoid more strikes by returning to the negotiating table with a ‘much better proposal’.

The union said that as it had no wish to ‘disrupt education’, its reps were asked to plan with head teachers to ensure Year 11 and Year 13 students had ‘a full programme of education on strike days’.

It further said that if negotiations are not successful, the union will use the period of exams from May 15 to begin a re-ballot of teacher members in England running until the end of July and timetable in a three day strike in late June/early July to be confirmed by the executive on 18 May.

Mike Gurney, Devon NEU Joint Secretary, said previously the strike action of members across Devon had been ‘strongly supported’.

He said: ‘Teachers know that this is a dispute not just about pay but also about the education we deliver. ‘Every day school pupils are missing out because schools cannot recruit and retain staff. 

‘NEU members do not want to be on strike. 

‘Schools simply do not have the money to do this and are struggling with deficit budgets.’