Data from the Department for Education (DfE) suggests that over half of schools in England either closed entirely or restricted attendance to pupils during teacher strikes yesterday in what was said to be the biggest day of industrial action for a decade. The DfE statistics estimating school closures were based on attendance data from 77 per cent (16,400) of state-funded primary and secondary schools in England. By Hazel Shearing, BBC News.

Tes features a round-up of yesterday's strike action, including a number of interviews with teachers who took part in picket lines and rallies across the country. By Matilda Martin and John Roberts. A survey of nearly 1,000 headteachers by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) found one in seven schools that fully or partially closed yesterday did not provide work for pupils to complete at home. By Louisa Clarence-Smith and Daniel Martin, The Telegraph.

The Telegraph reports that 'sparse' picket lines suggest that the extent of support from teachers for yesterday's strike action was not as significant as had been expected. By Blathnaid Corless.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), has said that teachers are likely to pause strike action during the summer exam season. By Poppy Wood, iNews.

The Government is considering introducing a new law that could force teachers to tell schools if they are planning to strike after tens of thousands of teachers in membership of the NEU walked out yesterday. By Harriet Line, Jason Groves and Connor Stringer, Daily Mail.

According to Schools Week, morale at the DfE is at an 'all time low' as civil servants joined teachers yesterday in taking strike action. By Tom Belger.

Writing in The Telegraph, Sam Borowski argues that "striking teachers are ignoring the huge problems they are causing schoolchildren". He says: "All children are now lacking knowledge in their subjects and desperately need to catch up. The teachers going on strike will only restrict their learning further." Sam Borowski, 17, attends a grammar school in Kent.

In a sample extract from the second edition of The State of Independence (published in Tes), Professor Dame Heather McGregor sets out four ideas for new funding and operating models that could help 'solve the question of affordability'. She says: "Radical thinking is needed if independent education is going to be accessible." Reference is made to the bursary scheme run by Christ's Hospital School. Professor Dame Heather McGregor DBE FRSE is provost and vice principal at Heriot-Watt University Dubai.

Ministers have said that the social care system for children in England will be reformed to give more early years support to families, with a further £200 million in funding to be invested over two years. By Judith Burns, James Melley and Hayley Clarke, BBC News.

An all-party group of ministers and peers, children’s charities and food campaigners is calling for the Government to increase the number of children and young people entitled to a free school lunch from 1.9 million to 2.7 million. The coalition says the funding should come from imposing new levies on producers of unhealthy foods and drinks. By Denis Campbell, The Guardian.

A new education union entitled the Scottish Union for Education has been created by parents, teachers and lecturers with the aim of resisting the teaching of “white privilege and transgender ideology” in schools. By Mark McLaughlin, The Times.

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