Schools across Essex have closed fully and partially today as teachers strike.
Pupils and parents face disruption as teachers walk out over pay and pensions, as well as concerns about work load.
39 schools will be closed including four secondary academies across the county today.
On top of this there will be 67 partially closed schools, including 15 secondary academies.
Teachers will march from the top of Chelmsford High Street to the Essex Cricket Ground on Writtle Street, between 11.30am and 12.30pm today to protest against government proposals.
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) initiated the strikes over performance related pay which it claims is 'unfair' and 'promotes inequality'.
This new system has given schools flexibility in offering higher salaries to the best teachers, while it has been claimed that head teachers can deny pay rises to those staff who fail to engage in extra-curricular activities.
The NUT are also striking as teachers have to work 60 hour weeks on average, many hours of which they say are are spent on unnecessary paperwork, which is not helping 'children learn or promote their wellbeing'.
They are also concerned with education secretary Michael Gove's plans to increase the retirement age to 68.
Previously, the NUT went on strike in March over the same issues.
Speaking at that protest, Jerry Glazier, 61, the NUT national executive member for Essex, said: "The NUT is determined to pursue its campaign against performance-related pay and pensions.
"We have tried to get the government to listen to all of this, but Michael Gove is barely listening to us.
"We are very fearful of the effect that the new policies will have on prospective teachers. We need to continue recruiting the best teachers.
"These changes will do the exact opposite. If we felt that Gove was genuinely listening to us, there wouldn't be a strike today.
"There is no alternative but to take strike action today considering the circumstances.
"Long hours are getting worse, the vast amount of teachers working in a secondary school are working over 55 hours a week."
The teachers strike coincides with strike action by local council worker members of Unison.
They are striking over the lack of a meaningful pay increase and will also be conducting a 10am until 7pm strike by firefighters over pension changes by the government.
