SCHOOLS could close in north Essex as teachers look to stage a one-day walkout next week.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) have voted for national strike action over a series of days.

The first walkout will be next Tuesday, July 5 with others expected to follow in the autumn.

Primary schools in particular could face closures as a result of there being fewer staff than in secondary schools.

For secondary schools, it is more likely to result in some year groups told to stay at home for the day.

Head teachers will have to assess the level of closures based on the number of teachers who are NUT members.

David Evans, Colchester and North East Essex NUT secretary, said: "Although the NUT is the biggest teachers' union nationally, the other unions are probably as supported in this area and those members would be going to work that day.

"It is not likely to be a complete closure of schools. It will depend on the head teachers and how many staff they think are going out and whether they can run their schools safely."

There are around 1,000 working teachers across in Tendring and Colchester in the NUT.

The NUT says it is striking over opposition to schools becoming academies by 2022.

The Government performed a U-turn on the plans but the NUT insists these will press ahead.

It says these changes would alter the conditions of employment, such as pay, sickness benefits and number of days worked per year.

In the NUT’s ballot, 91.7 per cent voted in favour of strike action.

Mr Evans said all schools were having to save money but cope with larger classes and building projects being delayed.

He added: "We are aware quite a few schools will have been dealing with projected resources of teachers and support staff.

"It tends to be support staff hit more but teachers are affected as well.

"Every penny is being stretched and the children are not getting the things they need."

Kevin Courtney, acting general secretary of the NUT, said: "The commitment from Government to ensure all schools become academies will result in decisions on pay and working conditions, including maternity/paternity rights and sick pay, being made at school level.

"There is absolutely no evidence that this sort of deregulation will lead to higher standards.

"There needs to be a guarantee of good standards for teachers' terms and conditions across the board, in all schools.

"School leaders' attention should be on educating children, not squandering huge amounts of time on negotiating individual staff members' contracts."

The ballot was held among NUT members in England who are working in local authority schools.