Teachers' strikes: Staff walkouts mean these Calderdale high schools only open to some children on Wednesday

Ryburn Valley High School, in Sowerby Bridge, will only be open to Year 11 and Year 13, and children classed as the most vulnerable.

And The Brooksbank School will just be open to Year 11 pupils and its most vulnerable students.

The announcements to parents today brings the total number of Calderdale schools known to be shutting or partially shutting to six.

Many others have warned parents to have a back-up plan for ensuring children are looked after on Wednesday in case they too need to close.

In a letter to parents, Ryburn Valley High School has said: “Due to reduced staffing numbers, we are sorry that we are unable to fully open as normal.

"Having evaluated the situation and to ensure we can provide a safe environment for our students, school will be partially open.”

Mock exams will go ahead as planned.

"We will be providing students with learning activities that can be completed at home for students in Year 7 to Year 10,” the letter says.

There will be some online lessons for Year 12 students.

The letter also says: “We’d like to thank our fantastic teachers, classroom assistants and support staff, many of whom are working additional duties to allow us to open partially.

"Nobody takes strike action lightly, and we hope you’ll share some sympathy with the staff who have made the very difficult decision to do so.

"We know the same rising living costs have also affected so many workers and families. Along with all our staff, we are committed to providing a safe environment and valuable education for all of our students.

"We share your frustration that this set of circumstances has come about and that it has not been possible for these issues to be resolved amicably without the need for strike action.

"There are no winners in these circumstances, and as such, it remains important that we continue to support each other with the utmost respect and goodwill."

Sue McMahon, from education campaigners Calderdale Against School Cuts, said: “The strike action in schools will not have any real long-term impact on a young person. Yes it will be a major inconvenience for any parent or carer, but 12 years of funding cuts, coupled with a staff recruitment crisis is causing far more damage.

"Schools have seen an unprecedented decline in real terms funding including an unfunded pay award; the industrial action is not the fault of schools or teachers, rather a Government which doesn’t prioritise young people or value the professionals who work in schools.

"The Government now needs to recognise the scale of the crisis and sit down and negotiate, as it’s years of brutal cuts that are damaging young people’s education, not striking teachers.”

Wednesday’s strike is the first of four planned days of industrial action.

A strike across the Yorkshire and Humber region is planned on February 28, followed by two more national strike action on March 14 and 15.