Striking Bracknell teachers organised a litter pick on Friday, July 7, to prove that “striking teachers aren’t lazy.”

Schools across Bracknell Forest were closed or partially closed due to a strike by NEU union members in a long-running dispute with the government over pay and funding.

Strikers mounted picket lines at three schools throughout the borough – College Town primary, Wooden Hill primary and Garth Hill College – before heading to South Hill Park for a litter pick.

Bracknell Forest NEU branch secretary Paul Tatum told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We did some awesome litter picking. We picked up a good bag’s worth of litter in the South Park Area.

“We did a good sweep of South Hill Park, dived and dove in the hedges, picking up old flower pots, cigarette ends, glass and discarded dog turd bags – making the environment nice for everyone. We also rescued an Aldi trolley and returned it to Aldi.”

He added: “It’s proving that striking teachers aren’t lazy – we’re not just doing this for a day off in the summer.”

NEU members are striking after rejecting a 5 per cent pay increase offered by the government. They say this is below inflation, and would come mostly out of school budgets.

They have also rejected another 4.5 per cent pay increase that would be paid from September this year.

The Department for Education says 4.5 per cent is above the forecast for inflation at the end of this calendar year, and that it would be fully funded through increases to school budgets.

READ MORE: LIVE: Schools across Berkshire head to picket line in today's strikes

But Mr Tatum said that action could continue in the next school year if NEU members vote to strike again in a new ballot set to end on July 28. And he said NEU members could strike alongside members of other unions, the NAHT and NASUWT.

Mr Tatum said that voter turnout among Bracknell NEU members had already crossed the 50 per cent threshold mandated by strike laws.

He added: “The government aren’t addressing any of the key issues that the NEU have pointed out. The recruitment and retention issue is at the core of this, and the school funding.

“We’re reallotting for the end of the month. That will be for further action hopefully with the other unions on board as well. Hopefully there’ll be joint strike action in the next academic year unless the government takes action.”