Members of the SSTA and NASUWT unions are taking part in the first of two days of industrial action across Scotland in their ongoing pay dispute.

Thousands of pupils miss school as teachers strike.

Thousands of pupils across Scotland are having another unscheduled day off school as teachers take more strike action.

Members of the SSTA and NASUWT unions are walking out in their ongoing pay dispute on Wednesday and Thursday.

It follows the EIS strike which saw almost all schools close on 24 November and the rejection of the latest pay offer of a maximum 6.85%.

The Scottish government said the unions' demands were "not affordable".

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said it was very disappointing that the fourth offer put to the unions had been rejected.

Which schools will be hit by the Scottish teachers' strikes?

On Wednesday, industrial action is taking place in: Argyll and Bute; Dumfries and Galloway; East Ayrshire; East Dunbartonshire; East Renfrewshire; Eilean Siar; City of Glasgow; Highland; Inverclyde; North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Orkney; Renfrewshire; Shetland; South Ayrshire; South Lanarkshire; West Dunbartonshire.

The local authorities affected on Thursday are: City of Aberdeen; Angus; Aberdeenshire; Clackmannanshire; Dundee City; City of Edinburgh; East Lothian; Falkirk; Fife; Midlothian; Moray; Perth and Kinross; Scottish Borders; Stirling; West Lothian.

Disruption is expected in most areas through either partial or full closures of schools.

Although mainly limited to secondary schools, some primaries are affected. About a third of councils said they expected "significant" disruption.


Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the pay demands were not affordable
With prelim exams taking place in many schools, older pupils are being prioritised and younger pupils are being given the day off.

The latest pay offer from the Scottish government was formally rejected last Wednesday.

Unions were offered a rise of between 5% and 6.85% but the EIS is asking for 10%.

On Tuesday the NASUWT said it was seeking a fully funded rise of 12% for 2022/23.

It said that a typical teacher in Scotland is almost £50,000 worse off as a result of their pay failing to keep pace with inflation since 2010, a loss they say will be further compounded by the current below-inflation pay offer.


The union also confirmed that following this week's strikes, members would begin a programme of ongoing action, including a refusal to cover for absent colleagues and attendance at only one meeting per week outside pupil sessions.

Dr Patrick Roach, the union's general secretary, said: "This is first time members in Scotland have taken national strike action in over a decade.