A teachers union representative in Suffolk has warned that many secondary schools in the county will have to close when up to 4,000 staff go on strike on Wednesday (February 1).

Graham White, from the National Education Union (NEU), said he expected schools to have informed parents about their plans for when the teachers participate in the walkout in a dispute over pay.

However, he believed senior schools would be more affected than primary because of the larger numbers of staff and the percentage that were in the NEU, which would make it difficult to hold lessons.

He said: "Given the percentage of NEU members in most schools, I would think that most schools would not be able to remain open, although primaries will be able to remain open more than secondary schools."

He added if a primary school had ten teachers and seven were going on strike, the other three might still be able to hold some lessons, such as for the children of key workers.

However, if more than half of secondary teachers walked out, then the school would have to shut, Mr White added.

He blamed the Government for causing 'hardship for parents' and called on ministers to sit round the table to discuss the striking teachers' concerns, particularly a lack of funding for education which had put off graduates looking to enter the profession.

Although teachers were not obliged to tell schools they would be striking, Mr White said the institutions should still be able to work out how many were likely to be taking industrial action, based on the union membership.

"It does make it difficult for schools to plan, I understand that and it is hard on parents.

"It is a horrible situation and not a situation we wanted. We want the Government to sit down and say, 'Ok, we will sort the situation'".

Parents of children at County High School in Bury St Edmunds have received a letter from headteacher Sally Kennedy informing them the school would only be open for pupils in year 11.

In the letter seen by the EADT, she said parents of vulnerable children in years 9 and 10 would be contacted individually to discuss support that can be provided off site.

She did not know the 'specific numbers' that would be joining the picket lines, but pledged to minimise disruption, adding that remote working would not be provided for children not attending school on the day.