Teachers have announced that they will be striking in the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside regions on October 1st.

The two largest teacher unions in the UK - the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) - confirmed the industrial action is in response to government reforms to education.

Christine Blower, general secretary of NUT, said: "At the start of the new academic year, the last thing teachers wish to be doing is preparing for further industrial action. It is a great shame that the education secretary has let things get to this stage."

She explained that pay, teachers' pensions and the working conditions people in teaching jobs have to endure are not good enough and the government is systematically attacking the sector, while refusing to listen or negotiate with teaching experts, so unions have been left with little choice other than to strike.

"Michael Gove has demoralised an entire profession; it is time that he started to listen for the sake of teachers, pupils and education," Ms Blower added.

Her comments were echoed by Chris Keates, general secretary of NASUWT, who called the attacks on teachers "relentless".

She explained that the government has failed to reward teachers for all their hard work over recent years and has instead choose to lead a "vicious" assault on remuneration and professionalism.

Up to 90 per cent of teachers are either in NUT and NASUWT, so the strike day is expected to lead to mass closures in the areas.

The unions also have current plans to strike in the north-east, Cumbria, London, south-east and south-west regions on October 17th.

As a teacher or someone looking for a teaching job in London or one of the other affected areas, what do you think about industrial action?