EIGHTEEN schools in Thurrock are set to close on Thursday as teachers in the borough join nationwide strikes.

Up to 750,000 teachers and civil servants across the country are preparing to walk out in a row over Government pension reforms, in what is being hailed as the biggest strike of a generation.

Ahead of the industrial action, a further 24 schools in Thurrock said lessons would be disrupted or they would have to close for at least some of the day.

Just 12 are expecting to be fully open.

Speaking about why teachers felt the need to take action, Jane Millership, Thurrock secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “Strike action is not a move that any teacher or head teacher takes lightly.

“Educating our pupils is the most important aspect of our working life.

“We take action to protect the quality of education in Thurrock, because if the Government’s proposals go through, teachers will drop out of the pension scheme, potentially making it unviable.

“Teaching will become a less attractive profession and it will ultimately be pupils who suffer.”

She added: “We are frustrated that after months of talks with ministers, the Government looks determined to go ahead with its proposals to make us pay more, work longer and get less for our pensions.

“While we sincerely regret having to take this action, and any inconvenience caused to parents, pupils and employers, we hope you understand why, as a last resort, we are taking action on 30 June.”

It is believed Thursday could see the biggest industrial action in the country since the general strike of 1926, when 160million working days were lost.

The Government wants to end final salary schemes, so that pensions payments are not linked to salaries at retirement.

Instead, it wants pension contributions to go into new "career average" schemes, based on the number of years worked in a public sector job.

The payments will be linked to an employee's average pay rather than the last salary before retirement.

How much each employee has to put in will also increase by three percentage points, as will the length of time people will have to work to get their pension.

Schools in Thurrock that are closing:

Abbots Hall Primary

Beacon Hill

Bonnygate Primary

Chadwell St Mary Primary

Chafford Hundred Primary

Graham James Primary

Holy Cross Catholic Primary Orsett CE Primary

St Joseph's Catholic Primary

St. Mary's R.C. Primary

Stanford-le-Hope Primary

Stifford Clays Infant

Stifford Clays Junior

Thameside Infant

Thameside Junior

Tudor Court Primary

Woodside Primary

The Gateway Academy

Schools that will be partially closed or facing some disruption to lessons:

Arthur Bugler Infant

Arthur Bugler County Junior

Aveley Primary

Benyon Primary

Corringham Primary

East Tilbury Infant

East Tilbury Junior

Giffards Primary

Grays Convent High

Hassenbrook

Herringham Primary

Lansdowne Primary

Little Thurrock Primary

Manor Infant

Quarry Hill Primary & Pre School

Shaw Primary

St Thomas of Canterbury C P

St. Clere's Stifford Primary

The Grays School Media Arts College

Tilbury Manor Junior

Treetops

Warren Primary

The Ockendon Academy

Schools that will be fully open:

Bulphan C of E (VC) Primary

Chafford Hundred Campus B&E College

Deneholm County Primary Dilkes Primary

Gable Hall

Horndon-on-the-Hill C of E.

Kenningtons Primary

Purfleet Primary

Somers Heath Primary

West Thurrock Primary

William Edwards School and Sports College

Ormiston Park Academy