Speaking after the government refused to begin promised talks to resolve the industrial dispute because the NEU declined to pre-emptively pause strike action, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: "This is a ludicrous situation, created by the government.

"With every move they show that they have no understanding of how to conduct good industrial relations.

"Gillian Keegan boasts that you don't need to go on strike to talk to her, but it now seems that is exactly what you have to be doing.

"After a series of meaningless encounters, the secretary of state holds out a public olive branch with thorns attached that make it impossible to grab.

"I have to wonder if this is by design in an attempt to boost public support rather than a genuine attempt to deal with the recruitment and retention crisis they have created.

"It seems NAHT is being steered by the government into balloting members now just to facilitate talks. How ridiculous."