There were no lessons for thousands of children across Wharfedale on Tuesday with the teachers’ strike forcing schools to shut.

Most schools were either fully or partially closed because of a lack of staff, as the NUT and NASUWT unions took a day of action across Yorkshire, the Midlands and the East of England in a row over pensions, holidays and pay.

The NUT’s Bradford spokesman Ian Murch said his members were angry at Government plans to shorten school holidays, remove pay rises based on length of service and make them work until the age of 68.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said the Government’s measures to introduce performance-related pay were designed to allow head teachers to pay good teachers more and called the strikes “disappointing”.

He said: “All strikes will do is disrupt parents’ lives, hold back children’s education and damage the reputation of the teaching profession.”

Mr Murch said they regretted causing inconvenience to parents.

Further strikes are planned across other regions in the coming weeks, followed by a national strike later in the year.

Schools in Ilkley which were fully closed included: Ashlands Primary School; Ben Rhydding Primary School; Burley and Woodhead CE Primary School and Ilkley Grammar School.

Schools in the Leeds area which were fully closed included: Guiseley School; Horsforth High; Otley St Joseph’s Catholic Primary; St Mary’s, Menston and Yeadon Westfield Juniors.