HUNDREDS of pupils were forced to stay at home as teachers walked out in a row over working conditions.

More than 500 pupils in Years 8, 9 and 10 could not attend the Harwich and Dovercourt High School yesterday as members of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers took to a picket line outside the Hall Lane site.

The action was been called as a result of “management practices, which impact on teachers’ working conditions and practices”.

The dispute is said to surround a number of issues including performance targets.

More industrial action is set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday as well as on January 27, 28, 29. Parents had mixed reactions to the teachers’ action. Judy Reason, whose daughter was forced to miss lesson time, backed the teachers.

She said: “I work in a school and see the ridiculous amount of pressure put on teaching staff, which a lot of people could not handle. We should be thanking teachers for fighting to give our children a better future.

But Joe Attwood said it was hypocritical for teachers to walk out when parents taking children out of school during term time were slapped with a fine. He said: “I am all for standing up for your rights, but it is the pupils who suffer most. A lot of organisations have or are going through restructuring, but you don’t see them not going into work.

“Whynot have meetings or consultations outside of school time to discuss the issues or proposed changes?

The school has a total of 1,100 pupils and Years 7, 11, 12 and 13 were not affected by the strike.

Melita Edwards has two children at the school whose lessons were unaffected. She praised those taking industrial action.

She said: “These people don’t just work Monday to Friday at school – they work in the evenings, weekends and during their holidays. They deserve decent management, decent resources and a lot more respect than they get.”

Senior staff at Harwich and Dovercourt High School declined to comment.