STRIKE action caused almost 200 children at a Kirklees school to stay at home today .
About half of the 360 pupils at Birkenshaw Middle School were told not to attend lessons.
Headteacher Caroline Thompson said parents of the children involved had been told on Monday to keep their children at home today.
She said several classes of different age groups had been affected.
Six members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) were on strike today out of the total 16-strong workforce.
The teachers are taking part in a one-day strike over national changes to pay structures regarding teaching and learning responsibilities.
Howard Roberts, secretary of the Kirklees branch of the NUT, said members had been virtually "goaded" into taking strike action.
Ongoing talks by the governing body had been cancelled when his members still wanted to talk.
