TAVISTOCK College and other West Devon schools will be closed today and a picket line set up at Dartmoor Prison as teachers and public sector unions take strike action over pensions.

Despite talks between the Government and unions, including the NUT (National Union of Teachers) and ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers), union representatives say the Government has not moved on the central propositions that teachers and other public sector workers will have to pay 50% more for their pensions and work longer to get a full pension.

Prime Minister David Cameron made a last-ditch call to public sector workers, saying it was 'not fair to the taxpayer'. Up to 750,000 staff — teachers and civil servants — across the country plan to strike. A picket line is being set up at HMP Dartmoor at lunchtime today (Thursday).

Principal of Tavistock College Helen Salmon said it was regrettable that the school had to close, but a large number of staff were members of the unions that had decided to take action, including 85 in the NUT, the largest teachers' union.

'I hope this dispute will be settled before the summer so we do not have a wave of action in the autumn term. I regret the loss of a day's education because we have a lot to do and I would rather get on with it.

'We would have considered opening for the sixth form but we have decided instead to continue with the Year 11 graduation day. Senior staff will be running this in the local church today.

'We felt it was really important to honour this commitment in spite of the strike action as this is an important event and rite of passage for our Year 11 students. They should get the send off they deserve.'

Mrs Salmon said she realised the additional pressures the strike might place on some families and, as a result, the library facilities would be available for the small number who could not, at this short notice, make alternative arrangements.

Unions object to increases in their pension contributions, a switch in the indexing of their pensions from retail price index to consumer price index inflation and an increase in their retirement age to 66.

South West regional secretary of the NUT Andy Wholley said: 'The Government has done nothing more, other than confirm it has no intention of listening to teachers. It is simply imposing draconian changes that will see teachers paying more, working longer and getting less with no evidence to back up these claims.

'The strike action is unavoidable and unless the Government starts listening rather than simply imposing its will, it leaves us with little choice other than to consider further action.'

The Government said public service pensions would still be among the very best with a guaranteed pension which few private sector staff now enjoy.

Parent Tamsin Hopkins from Tavistock said having been a teacher herself she could understand the teachers' point of view but she did not think the strike would be that effective.

'I think teachers have to accept that everyone is facing hardships with pensions and there is not a lot they can do about it. Everybody is in the same boat.'

l Meadowlands Leisure Pool in Tavistock is offering all children under eight the opportunity to swim for free today. All children under eight must be accompanied by an adult.