SCHOOLS across south Essex are set to bolt their gates tomorrow as teachers walk out over cuts to pensions – but many parents say they are in the dark over what’s happening.

Dozens of primary and secondary schools will be forced to close across Southend, Basildon and Thurrock as the nationwide day of strike action takes place.

In some parts of Essex however, parents have been left in uncertainty as some schools have not confirmed their arrangements.

Thurrock and Southend Council have issued a list of which schools will be closed or partly open. Essex County Council – responsible for schools in Basildon, Castle Point and Rochford – refused to release details of which schools are being affected, saying instead that 19 schools will be closing.

Other schools such as the Basildon Academies said they will be making an announcement on their websites this afternoon, just hours before the strike begins.

One parent of a 12-year-old pupil at the Lower Academy, said: “It’s not on really, I have plans to make for childcare. I think they must know by now if they are striking or not. It seems they are trying to cause as much disruption as possible.”

In Castle Point, Castle View School on Canvey, the Deanes School, Thundersley, and Kents Hill Infant School, Benfleet, will be closed. The King John School, Thundersley, will be partially open.

In Basildon, Cherry Tree Primary School in Basildon will be open only for some pupils.

The National Union of Teachers – the biggest teaching union – estimates that up to 85 per cent of UK schools will be either partly shut, or will close their doors completely.

Schools do not have a legal duty to notify their local authority, but do have to tell parents if they are closing.

Essex county councillor responsible for education, Stephen Castle, said: “It is extremely disappointing children’s education could suffer because of strikes forcing some schools to close.”

Schools to close Here is a list of schools in Southend which have so far confirmed they will be involved in the teachers’ strikes taking place tomorrow: Belfairs High School, Leigh (part closure) Blenheim Primary School, Leigh Bournes Green Infant School and Bournes Green Junior School, Thorpe Bay Chalkwell Hall Junior School, Leigh Darlinghurst Primary and Nursery School, Leigh Fairways Primary School, Leigh Hamstel Junior School, Southend Heycroft Primary School, Eastwood Lancaster School, Westcliff (part closure) Leigh Infant School Shoeburyness High School Southend High School for Boys (part closure) St George’s Catholic Primary School, Shoebury St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Prittlewell (part closure) Temple Sutton Primary School, Southend The Eastwood School Westborough Primary School and Nursery, Westcliff Thorpe Greenways Junior School, Thorpe Bay Westcliff High School for Girls.

Schools closed in Thurrock: -Abbots Hall Primary -Beacon Hill -Bonnygate Primary -Chadwell St Mary Primary -Chafford Hundred Primary -Graham James Primary -Holy Cross Catholic Primary -Orsett CE Primary -St Joseph’s Catholic Primary -St. Mary’s RC Primary -Stanford-le-Hope Primary -Stifford Clays Infant -Stifford Clays Junior -Thameside Infant -Thameside Junior -Tudor Court Primary -Woodside Primary -The Gateway Academy Thurrock schools that will be partially closed or facing some disruption to lessons: -Arthur Bugler Infant -Arthur Bugler County Junior -Aveley Primary -Benyon Primary -Corringham Primary -East Tilbury Infant -East Tilbury Junior -Giffards Primary -Grays Convent High -Hassenbrook -Herringham Primary -Lansdowne Primary -Little Thurrock Primary -Manor Infant -Quarry Hill Primary & Pre School -Shaw Primary -St Thomas of Canterbury C P -St. Clere’s -Stifford Primary -The Grays School Media Arts College -Tilbury Manor Junior -Treetops -Warren Primary -The Ockendon Academy