Cambridge and Peterborough were the focus of two major demonstrations to show support for striking teachers.
As education officials worked to assess which schools remained either open – or partially open – large numbers gathered in the centre of both cities on a day of national protest.
Cambridgeshire County Council had warned of expected disruption to schools today with industrial action by the NEU “in relation to schools funding and teachers pay.
“Staff are not required to notify their school if they are intending to strike so the position may change at short notice. We expect all schools to have some impact as a result of the action even if they are fully open.”
One in 10 Cambridgeshire schools are thought to have been closed completely with the rest remaining partially open.
In Peterborough it is thought only two of the 48 schools were closed completely.
The one-day strike is the first of seven planned by the National Education Union (NEU) following a vote by members.
Jonathan Lewis, director of education for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, had warned that “even schools which are fully open will see some disruption to the curriculum”.
The Government has advised heads to take “all reasonable steps” to keep schools open for as many students as possible.
