All state schools in England may shut in ‘unprecedented’ coordinated strikes

In March, the government offered teachers a £1,000 one-off payment alongside an average 4.5% pay rise next year, but this was rejected. Photograph: Barry Batchelor/PA

All state schools in England could be closed by “unprecedented” coordinated strikes involving all four teaching unions, after their leaders vowed to increase pressure on the government to improve its pay offer.

In a joint press conference, the leaders of the four major education unions said they wanted to send a message to the education secretary that she needed to resume negotiations over pay and school funding.