20,000 pupils will be hit by strike

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), which has 2,600 Gwent members, have voted for industrial action on April 24 over pay.

Some schools will be forced to close, whilst others will have skeleton staff as not all teachers are NUT members causing chaos to parents.

"This will potentially affect all schools in the area," confirmed NUT Cymru, Secretary David Evans.

Hartridge High School in Newport is one school still assessing its plans for the day.

Headteacher Goff Davies said: "It will cause major disruption because other teachers who are not NUT members have the right to work."

Already six schools in Torfaen have confirmed they will close with potentially dozens in the borough set to follow and in Blaenau Gwent all six comprehensive schools will close - affecting 4,733 pupils and 18 primary schools will fully close affecting 3,289 pupils.

It's expected across Gwent over 20,000 pupils will not be in class on Thursday.

The NUT say the government offered teachers a pay rise of 2.45 per cent, below the current 4.1 per cent rate of inflation.

A spokesman for the Department for Schools, Children and Families, responsible for teachers pay, said he teacher's pay award was recommended by the independent School Teachers Review Body, and was accepted by all the other teaching unions. It branded the NUT's strike action "disappointing".

Caerphilly County Borough Council said they were not yet sure how many schools would close and said they were currently in talks with headteachers.

Monmouthshire Council could not yet confirm exact numbers but between Chepstow Comprehensive and Caldicot School alone there will be over 2,000 pupils staying at home.