CALLINGTON Community College and Tavistock College together with a number of West Devon and East Cornwall primary schools and school year groups will be closed today (Thursday) as teachers' unions strike over pensions.

Despite talks between the Government and the NUT (National Union of Teachers) and ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers) unions 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 attempt to public sector workers not to strike, saying it was 'not fair to the taxpayer'. Up to 750,000 staff — teachers and civil servants — across the country planned a strike.

Among the primary schools that are closed today are Gulworthy, Gunnislake and Callington, Stoke Climsland (yrs reception, 3, 4 and 5), Delaware (yrs 2 and 6) and Calstock (yrs 2 and 3).

In a letter to parents, principal of Callington Community College, Gary Lobbett said a significant number of teaching staff who are members of the NUT or ATL had indicated their intention to take part in the one-day strike.

'As a result, the leadership team, in conjunction with the governing body, has concluded that the safety and welfare of students would be compromised if the college stayed open,' he said.

The Year 9/10 celebration evening planned for Thursday has been postponed provisionally to Monday (July 4).

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.'

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.

'We are proposing they will be paid later because people live longer and that public sector staff will pay more for a fairer balance between what they pay and what other taxpayers pay,' said Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude and chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander in a statement.

A parent from East Cornwall, who did not wish to be named, said she fully sympathised with the teachers' cause but she did not think there would be a lot of public sympathy.

'If you are in the private sector and your contract changes if you don't like it, you find yourself without a job,' she said.

The action will also affect Dartmoor Prison where a picket line is being set up at lunchtime today (Thursday).