15.23pm

And I think that is that folks. Thanks so much to everyone for their emails and tweets, and look out for a full story in the Harrow and Wembley Observer next week.

15:03pm

Harrow's Labour shadow leader for children, schools and families Councillor Bill Phillips of the Greenhill ward has came out in support of the teachers on strike.

Here is what he had to say:

"I think that it is very difficult to decide to strike, whatever profession or job you are in. You have to lose pay and it can strain relationships both at work and among friends.


"Teaching is a profession and I believe that the teaching profession together with local wishes should be the main arbiters of our children's education  and not opinionated politicians in central government. This strike is about the government's unresponsiveness to requests from the bodies that represent the teaching profession to discuss the future of education, it is a shot across the boughs to concentrate the minds of central government that is taking more and more control away from the profession and local people and dictating an agenda based upon political opinion."

14.12pm

Prime Minister David Cameron has now weighed in on the strikes when speaking to BBC Sussex.

"I think it is very disappointing they have decided to go on strike, and when we look at the things they are striking over, pensions and pay, they are things that have been decided independently by well-led reviews.

"I was at my children's school today in London. One class was not there but the rest of the school was operating. So, every praise to those teachers who have gone ahead and kept our schools open for our kids."

13.37pm

The Independent Labour Group of Harrow have come out in support of the teachers on strike. Here is what they have just told me.

"We support teachers who do an amazing job under very stressful and demanding conditions. Tory government minister Michael Gove’s demands and rhetoric is unsustainable on the ground. Our country needs to appreciate and reward teachers much better as they do in Scandinavian and other countries.

"Next time you hear politicians pontificating about the need to reduce the right to strike in the UK, usually because of the inconvenience it may cause them and others as they go about their cosy lives, remember the limited protection already afforded to workers. And whilst individual rights at work are important, those rights pale into insignificance when we understand the need for trade union rights to be able to defend workers from the worst excesses of employers who are using this recession as an excuse to reduce employment rights further still."

13.01pm

Just had the picture of Harrow NUT from this morning setting off for the marches come through from Harrow on the Hill station.

12.53pm

Pollsters YouGov have just released a poll and here is a breakdown on public opinion on the strikes.

  • 49 per cent oppose the strikes
  • 33 per cent support the strikes
  • 18 per cent do not know

Well what do YOU think? Let me know - john.shammas@trinitymirror.com or tweet us @HarrowObserver

12.44pm

We're back and with a fresh statement from the Department for Education who claim only 27 per cent of schools across London have chosen to strike. Here is their statement in full.

"The NUT and NASUWT have tried to create as much disruption for pupils and parents today as possible. In spite of this, thanks to many hard working teachers and heads, only around a quarter of schools in the targeted regions were closed today.

“It is disappointing that the NUT and NASUWT are striking over the Government's measures to allow heads to pay good teachers more. In a recent poll, 61 per vent of respondents supported linking teachers' pay to performance and 70 per cent either opposed the strikes or believed that teachers should not be allowed to strike at all.

"All strikes do is disrupt parents' lives, hold back children's education and damage the reputation of the profession."

12pm

Okay well I think that's lunch. Keep your thoughts coming to @HarrowObserver or to john.shammas@trinitymirror.com and we will be back in an hour or so.

11:33am

We've just spoken to the Conservative MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman, and here is what he had to say on the strikes:

“Strike action should always be a last resort and I am not convinced that it is in this case. These teachers need to raise their issues through discussion, not by forcing their pupils to miss a day of schooling and inconveniencing parents, who will have to make potentially costly alternative arrangements in childcare.”

What do you think? Let me know on john.shammas@trinitymirror.com or alternatively, as this is the 21st century and what-not, tweet us @HarrowObserver

11.23am

Tory schools minister David Laws has just been speaking to Sky News and he didn't pull any punches. Here is what he said on the teachers striking today:

“It’s fine to have decent pensions in the public sector, but they’ve got to be fair and affordable for people in the private sector. If we didn’t do those things now as a government, those pensions would become completely unsustainable and a future government would just shelve them, and public sector workers would be left with the same lousy pensions as many of your viewers in the private sector have today.

"I think they’ve made a terrible mistake. I don’t think half the time most of the people in the country understand what the strike is about.”

11:12am

Here is a statement from the Harrow NUT branch:

"The strike action is a result of the coalition government's failure to enter into meaningful talks to resolve the dispute over pay, pensions, job cuts and workload.

"Teachers are deeply concerned about the impact these imposed changes are having on the morale of the teaching profession, the recruitment and retention of teachers and on the provision of quality education for pupils. The NUT and the NASUWT are still asking the government to enter into genuine talks to resolve this dispute."

10:53am

For the latest list of schools that have closed or partially closed in Harrow today, visit here.

10:40am

Leader of Harrow Council Susan Hall had this to say on the strikes yesterday:

“It’s a pity that teachers have chosen to drag children into their dispute. The way to settle these issues is through talking, not upsetting school timetables and creating childcare headaches for parents across London.

“Teachers obviously feel they have a grievance but there is a reality to be faced on pay and pensions across the whole of the public sector. I’m grateful to the staff of those schools in Harrow which have remained open.”

10:27am

The lovely people at Harrow Council have just been in touch to let us know that 14 schools are closed, 17 partially open and 20 open.

10:24am

Here is what the Department for Education have to say on the strikes:

"It is disappointing that the NUT and NASUWT are striking over the Government's measures to allow heads to pay good teachers more. In a recent poll, 61 per cent of respondents supported linking teachers' pay to performance and 70 per cent either opposed the strikes or believed that teachers should not be allowed to strike at all.

"All strikes will do is disrupt parents' lives, hold back children's education and damage the reputation of the profession."

10:12am

Former school inspector and now Independent councillor Husain Akhtar has been in touch, and has come out in support of the teachers. Here is what he had to say:

"No doubt the teacher strike causes disruption in the life of the school, but then the teachers work long hour under very challenging circumstances – it is a highly scrutinised profession indeed – and therefore need good working conditions and pay to deliver best performance.

"There comes a time, as now, that teachers have to stand up against an arrogant government which demands more and cares less. Our teachers are committed and hard working – to suggest otherwise is disgusting."

Thanks to Councillor Akhtar for sending that in. If you have any thoughts on the strike today, do let me know. Get in touch on twitter via @HarrowObserver or email john.shammas@trinitymirror.com

09:48am

First tweet of the day goes to @radiogeyser who tweets us:

"The whole country is fed up and why shouldn't the Govt know it."

Keep your tweets coming to @HarrowObserver and let us know what you make of the school closures today across Harrow and Brent.

09:20am

Good morning Harrow and Brent.

This morning we're gauging reaction from across both boroughs on what you make of the teachers strike. Do you agree with the concerns of teachers? Are you a parent who has had to take a day off work to look after your child?

Whatever your thoughts, get in touch by sending your thoughts to john.shammas@trinitymirror.com or by tweeting to @HarrowObserver as we will get this live blog up and running!