Teachers set to take stand against Gove

Britain's two biggest teachers' unions, NASUWT and the National Union of Teachers, said the action short of a strike would not hit students' education.

But teachers would no longer file their paperwork, attend meetings or cover for absent colleagues.

The unions' joint statement flagged up ongoing disputes over pay, pensions, workload, hostile classroom observations and job losses as behind the dispute.

Teachers are entering into a second year of a pay freeze and are also due to continue to see their wages lag behind the current rate of inflation, with 1 per cent rises in the following two years.

And Chancellor George Osborne's announced plans to review national pay rates for public-sector workers - which could see sharp pay cuts in poorer areas - in this year's budget.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates (pictured) said they had warned Education Secretary Michael Gove back in May of a fightback unless the government eased up.

"He has recklessly disregarded this warning," she said.

"At every turn the Secretary of State shows contempt for the teaching workforce.

"What happens to teachers directly affects the quality of education for children and young people.

"Teachers and their pupils deserve better."

Her NUT counterpart Christine Blower agreed.

"Teachers' morale is dangerously low," she said.

"Over-the-top accountability measures are exhausting teachers and the idea that they can work to 68 is absurd.

"For the sake of teachers and children's education, these constant attacks from government need to stop.

"We urge the Secretary of State to begin to listen and to respond to our concerns."

But the action could ratchet up even further - an NUT ballot on Friday delivered an 82.5 per cent vote in support of all-out strikes.

And NUT deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney warned today that if teachers aren't happy with the government's response to the pay review board at the end of October, walkouts could be on the cards.