CHILDREN at schools across south Wiltshire are missing classes today as teachers stage their first national strike in two years.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) walked out for 24-hours in dispute about pay and workloads.

Both Dinton Primary School and Chilmark and Fonthill Bishop Primary Schools were completely closed while partial closures were in place elsewhere.

St Edmund's asked Year 8 pupils to stay at home while Stonehenge School was also partially closed.

Amesbury Archer Primary School, Old Sarum Primary School and Collingbourne Primary School also faced some disruption.

Around 25 per cent of NUT members voted for strike action — of those who voted, 91.7 per cent supported strike action.

NUT acting leader Kevin Courtney said school budgets were not keeping pace with rising costs.

"The problems facing education, however, are too great to be ignored and we know many parents share our concerns," he added.

However, the Department for Education accused the NUT of "playing politics" with children’s futures.