No deal in teacher strike talks

Teachers are protesting about having their pay blocked

Talks between the two sides at the centre of a dispute at Movilla High School in Newtownards have broken up without agreement.

The discussions between the South Eastern Education Library Board and the NAS/UWT union lasted for nine hours and will reconvene on Friday.

Some staff are striking over having pay docked because they refused to teach a pupil who they say assaulted a teacher.

It had been hoped pupils would return to classes on Friday.

The SEELB supported the school's governors decision not to expel the child, which consequently led to the strike action, which began on Monday.

In a statement, the SEELB described the incident as having been "appropriately and proportionately dealt with" by the board of governors.

The board had told the protesting teachers they would not be paid, even if they were teaching other classes normally.