Dozens of Bradford schools are expected to be shut on Thursday as part of strike action by several different unions, including the National Union of Teachers.

So far 21 schools across the district have announced they will shut due to the strike, with a further 12 partial closures but that number is expected to increase in the run-up to the mass public sector worker strike.

Joining the NUT will be the GMB union and UNISON, which both represent council and non-teaching school staff, and the Public and Commercial Services Union.

The Fire Brigades Union will stage 15 two hours strikes over eight consecutive days starting on Monday, July 14.

In Bradford the national strike on July 10 will be marked by a cross union rally in City Park.

The strike will be over below inflation pay rises, conditions and pensions in public sector jobs.

Half of the district's teachers are believed to be represented by the NUT, and a strike by the union in March affected at least 115 Bradford schools.

Nationally, council staff, school support workers, teachers and civil servants are expected to take part in the strike, and with estimates claiming it will involve between one and two million workers it could be the biggest since 2010.

Ian Murch, Bradford spokesman for the NUT, said the strike had been timed to avoid any school exams. He added: "We were originally going to be striking earlier, but when other unions that represent school staff were planning on striking on the 10th we decided that rather than have two different days of disruption on schools we'd have it on the same day.

"We didn't want to strike when exams were on."

He said that as well as pay rises that did not match inflation, the NUT was striking over increasing pressures on teachers - which have seen some primary teachers working 60 hours a week.

Mr Murch added: "If there is any proper movements towards a solution by the Government we will call this strike off."

The rally in City Park will start at 11am on Thursday.

A Council spokesman said it would be up to individual schools and their governors whether they opened on the day of the strike.

Schools will inform parents if they are shutting because of the strike, and details will also be included on the Bradford Council website.