Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) walked out amid a dispute with the government over pay.

More than 100 Kirklees schools were either completely or partially closed, including 26 in Dewsbury and Mirfield.

The government has offered teachers a rise of 2.45 per cent, and plans to offer them 2.3 per cent for the next two years.

The NUT says it comes after three below-inflation annual increases – which means teachers' pay has been cut by around £1,500 a year.

The union says new entrants to teaching earn £3,000 less than the average graduate and up to half leave the profession within their first three years.

In Dewsbury, Birkdale High School, Overthorpe J, I and N, Ravenshall special school, Ravensthorpe I and N, Boothroyd J and I, Savile Town I and N, St John's Infant, Thornhill J and I, Thornhill Lees I and N, Westmoor Junior were fully closed.

Thornhill Community Science College, Earlsheaton Technology College, Westborough High School, St John Fisher Catholic High School, Earlsheaton Infant, Headfield Junior, Pentland I and N, Ravensthorpe Junior, Shaw Cross I and N and Chickenley, Eastborough, Hanging Heaton primaries were partially shut.

In Mirfield, Battyeford Primary and Crossley Fields were completely shut and Hopton and Old Bank partially.

All others were open as normal.

No schools were picketed but yesterday some teachers joined a rally in Huddersfield.

Hazel Danson, NUT National Executive member for West Yorkshire, said: "Teachers do not take strike action lightly; the last national pay strike was 21 years ago. The union wants the government to take the concerns of teachers seriously. Teachers work hard to ensure pupils achieve their full potential and are expected to accept pay cuts."

Yesterday, St John Fisher headteacher Kevin Higgins told the Reporter he had had to close the school to most pupils for health and safety reasons because a lot of his staff were NUT members.

He said: "The NUT is the biggest teaching association in the school. Other schools have other teaching associations but for us the NUT is the largest. I have sixth form students in school but the rest of the school is closed."

Earlsheaton Technology College associate headteacher David Archer said his school was only open to year 11s.

He said: "Year 11 are in, working as normally as possible, because of their GCSEs being imminent. All year 11s are being taught lessons by teachers who are not involved in the strike action."

He said the school had used the opportunity to give pupils a taste of their future college life, by holding lectures and individual study periods instead of traditional lessons, and inviting pupils to dress in casual clothing.

He said: "It's like a preparation for college. We try to make something positive out of it."