SCHOOLS in Bolton will be forced to close for the day as teachers in Bolton stage a one day strike over pay and conditions.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) will take part in the national walk out on July 5.

The industrial action is expected to result in most schools closing to children for the day.

Julia Simpkins, secretary of the Bolton-branch of the NUT, said: "It is incredibly hard for teachers to go on strike.

"Teachers go into the profession wanting to make a difference to children's lives.

"We want our young people to be able to read and write, develop a love of learning and wanting to learn throughout their lives.

"When we go on strike we will not do it during exam time because of the effect it will have on children, just like during the doctors strike, they made sure emergency cover was in place.

"We do this with a very heavy heart."

The NUT says it was demanding an increase in funding to schools and education, guarantee terms and conditions in all types of schools, and to resume negotiations on teacher contracts to allow workload to be addressed.

Ms Simpkins said that the end of collective bargaining would create a two tier system.

She said:"I think this will lead to 'ghetto' schools. If you are a teacher why would you go to a school which pays less and maybe more challenging?

"The Government says the education budget has not been cut but costs are rising and schools are cutting as far as they can, which means teachers in some schools are losing their teaching assistants, meaning they are having to do the work they did.

"Newly qualified teachers after four years are burnt out."

Kevin Courtney, acting general secretary of the NUT, said: "In light of the huge funding cuts to schools, worsening terms and conditions, and unmanageable and exhausting workloads, teachers cannot be expected to go on without significant change.

"The effects on children's education are also real and damaging."

A Department for Education spokesman said: "It is disappointing the National Union of Teachers has chosen to take unnecessary and damaging strike action, which less than a quarter of its members voted for.

"It is even more disappointing when we have offered and committed to formal talks between ministers and the unions to address their concerns about pay.

"Industrial action causes disruption to children's education and parents who have to take time out of work to arrange childcare.

"We urge the NUT not to proceed with this strike and to resolve pay disputes at the negotiating table rather than playing politics with children's futures."