SCHOOLS across the district are expected to be affected by industrial action this week.

Several schools have already confirmed they will be closing on Wednesday, March 26 due to a strike by the National Union of Teachers (NUT).

Yate and Winterbourne international academies are closing for the day although The Ridings’ Federation sixth form which runs across both academy sites will remain open.

Woodlands Primary School in Yate, also a part of the federated academies, will also be closed although the nursery attached to the school will remain open.

The federation said the decision to close the schools followed an ‘assessment of the likely number of staff who intend to participate in this industrial action, and the health and safety implications of that action for students’.

St John's Mead Primary School, in Chipping Sodbury, has also announced it is closing for the day although the nursery and out of school club The Den will remain open.

Brimsham Green in Yate is closing for Years 7 to 10 but will remain open for students in Years 11, 12 and 13.

Chipping Sodbury School will remain open to all students.

In Gloucestershire, Rednock School in Dursley has announced it plans for Wednesday, with year seven, eight and nine classes closed.

Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 will all be operating as normal.

The British School in Wotton-under-Edge has announced it will close for the day.

To keep up to date on which Gloucestershire schools will be closing, visit: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/closedschools

The NUT dispute with the government is over pay and pensions and teachers’ workloads. The planned strike next week is the union’s third day of industrial action since 2011 .

General secretary Christine Blower said: “The NUT has made clear that strike action on March 26 can be stopped if the Secretary of State addresses teachers’ concerns and engages in serious dialogue with the NUT on the matters of our dispute.

“Two in five teachers are leaving the profession within five years due to intolerable workload pressures, performance related pay, increased pensions contributions and working until 68. Our concerns have to be addressed if a crisis in teacher supply is to be avoided.”

But the Department for Education said talks had been taking place and any action would ‘disrupt parents’ lives, hold back children’s education and damage the reputation of the profession’.

The union is holding a march from College Green in Bristol at 12noon on the day of action