Almost all Leicester's schools will be hit by teachers' strikes on Thursday.

Thousands of children will miss lessons as 93 of the city's 106 schools face disruption caused by industrial action by teaching unions over pension changes.

There will be 56 schools shutting entirely and a further 37 will be partially closed to some pupils.

County schools will also be hit by the action and so far 35 have announced they will close for the day and 19 will have limited classes.

Picket lines are expected outside some schools ahead of a mass rally in Victoria Park, Leicester, from midday onwards.

The walk-out comes as the Government plans to make changes to teachers' pensions, which will scrap the final salary pension scheme and replace it with a career average.

Teachers say they are also being asked to pay more into their fund for a lower return.

Yesterday education secretary Michael Gove called on parents to help keep schools open, but one city head teacher said he doubted this was possible.

Peter Wood, head of Knighton Fields Primary, which has added its name to the list of closures, said: "Parents would have to be checked by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) first and obviously are not professionally trained to look after such large groups of children, let alone teach them.

"Closing the school has been a difficult decision, but we had no choice as the majority of staff are taking industrial action and we have the welfare and safety of our children to think about."

Last night, the National Association of Head Teachers added its weight to the debate, saying it had "grave concerns" about the Education Secretary's call for parental volunteers.

General secretary Russell Hobby said: "It is probably not unlawful, but we would strongly advise our members not to accept voluntary help to cover for absent staff this Thursday." It is not believed any schools in the city or county will be using parents to help them stay open.

A city council spokesman said: "We're not aware of contingency plans in individual schools.

"Schools have been asked to consider the resources available to them on that day, the priority being to ensure continuity of educational provision while taking account of health and safety requirements."

The action will force many parents to make alternative arrangements for their children on the day.

Seema Parekh, whose daughter attends Hope Hamilton Primary in the city, said: "It's going to be a huge pain because I work and I haven't been able to make any arrangements yet.

"I might have to take the day off work and that's not something I really want to do."

Self-employed Shakel Latif has a five-year-old son, Daniyal, at the school.

He said: "It's not so bad for me because I can change my plans fairly easily, but I can understand why it might be frustrating for lots of other parents.

"I support the teachers because I think they do an extremely professional job under a lot of pressure and I think they should be rewarded adequately for it."

Farzhana Denath has three youngsters at Hope Hamilton Primary.

She added: "I think this whole situation could have been handled better by the Government and then we wouldn't have this problem.

"I'm personally OK as I'm a volunteer and I don't work every day.

"Thankfully this action isn't happening during the exam period.

"It's the end of term and I don't think it will make a huge difference, but if it had been earlier in the year I'd be much more bothered."

Anita Harrison, who has four children at the school, said: "I've had to re-arrange some appointments I had on Thursday, which isn't too bad, but I know there's plenty of parents who can't change things that easily."

Martin Traynor, chief executive of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said there were "serious economic implications" to the strike. He said: "Strike action is disruptive because employees are forced, in many cases, to take time off work to look after their children and that hits businesses, particularly the small businesses.

"Striking should be the last possible resort."

Staff from Leicester College, Loughborough College, South Leicestershire College and De Montfort University, who are members of the University and College Union (UCU) will also walk out on strike as part of the dispute.

Ian Leaver, assistant secretary of Leicester's NUT said: "Strike action isn't a move that any teacher or head teacher takes lightly – educating our pupils is the most important aspect of our working life.

"We take action to protect the quality of education in Leicester, because if the Government's proposals go through, teachers will drop out of the pension scheme, potentially making it unviable.

"Teaching will become a less attractive profession and it will ultimately be pupils who suffer."

For those parents who can take time off, Wigston and Oadby swimming pools will be free to those aged eight and under and accompanied by an adult on Thursday.

The full list of schools hit by Thursday's strike action

The list below shows the schools which have notified the city and county councils that they will be either shut or partially shut on Thursday.

Almost all schools have now declared their position, although the list is expected to increase slightly today.

City schools shut

Abbey Primary Community School, Belgrave.

Avenue Primary, Clarendon Park.

Babington Community College, Beaumont Leys.

Barley Croft Primary, Beaumont Leys.

Braunstone Frith Infant School, New Parks.

Bridge Junior, Spinney Hill.

Caldecote Primary, Braunstone.

Catherine Infant and Junior schools.

Charnwood Primary, Highfields.

City of Leicester, Evington.

Christ the King Catholic Primary, Western Park.

Coleman Primary, Crown Hills.

Crown Hills, Spinney Hills.

Ellesmere College, Braunstone.

Evington Valley Primary, Evington.

Eyres Monsell Primary.

Folville Junior, Braunstone.

Forest Lodge Primary, New Parks.

Fosse Primary, Thurnby Lodge

Granby Primary, Aylestone.

Hamilton Community College.

Herrick Primary, Rushey Mead.

Hope Hamilton Primary, Hamilton.

Humberstone Infant School, Humberstone.

Inglehurst Junior, Newfoundpool.

Judgemeadow, Evington.

King Richard III Infant, West End.

Knighton Fields Primary.

Linden Primary, Evington.

Madani High, Highfields.

Mayflower Primary, Evington.

Medway Community Primary, Stoneygate.

Mellor Community Primary, Rushey Mead.

Millgate School, Knighton Fields.

Moat Community College, Spinney Hills.

New College, New Parks.

Northfield House, Northfields.

Queensmead Primary, Braunstone.

Riverside, Rowley Fields.

Rushey Mead School.

Shaftesbury Junior, West End.

Shenton Primary, Spinney

Hills.

Slater Primary, Frog Island.

Sir Jonathan North, Knighton.

Soar Valley, Rushey Mead.

Sparkenhoe Primary, Highfields.

The Lancaster School, West Knighton.

Thurnby Lodge Primary.

Uplands Infant and Uplands Junior, Spinney Hills.

Whitehall Primary, Evington.

Wolsey House Primary, Stocking Farm.

Woodstock Primary, Stocking Farm.

Wyvern Primary, Rushey Mead.

City schools partially shut:

Alderman Richard Hallam, Beaumont Leys.

Ash Field School, Evington.

Beaumont Leys School.

Belgrave St Peter’s

Braunstone Community Primary.

Buswells Lodge, Beaumont Leys.

Dovelands Primary, Western Park.

English Martyrs Catholic School, Beaumont Leys.

Glebelands Primary, Beaumont Leys.

Green Lane Infant School.

Hazel Primary, Filbert Street area.

Heatherbrook Primary, Beaumont Leys.

Highfields Primary.

Holy Cross Primary, Eyres Monsell.

Imperial Avenue, Braunstone

Kestrels’ Field Primary, Humberstone.

Marriott Primary, Saffron Lane.

Merrydale Infant and Junior schools, Humberstone.

Montrose School, Aylestone.

Mowmacre Hill Primary, Tedworth Green.

Oaklands School, Evington.

Overdale Infant and Junior schools, West Knighton.

Parks Primary, New Parks.

Rolleston Primary, Eyres Monsell.

Rowlatts Hill Primary, Evington Valley.

Rushey Mead Primary.

Sandfield Close Primary, Rushey Mead.

Spinney Hill Primary.

St Barnabas, North Evington.

St John The Baptist, Clarendon Park.

St Mary’s Fields, Rowley Fields.

St Paul’s, Evington.

St Thomas More, Catholic Primary School, Knighton.

Taylor Road Primary, St Matthew’s.

Westgate, New Parks.

County schools shut:

Arnesby Church of England Primary.

Ashmount Special School, Loughborough.

Barrow Hall School, Barrow Upon Soar.

Bottesford Church of England Primary.

Brockington College, Enderby.

Brocks Hill Primary, Oadby.

Brookvale High School, Groby.

Broom Leys Primary, Coalville.

Brownlow Primary, Melton.

Castle Donington Community College.

Farndon Fields Primary, Market Harborough.

Gartree High School, Oadby.

Griffydam Primary, Coalville.

Groby Community College.

Heathfield High School, Earl Shilton.

Humphrey Perkins High School & Community Centre, Barrow Upon Soar.

Ivanhoe College, Ashby-De-La-Zouch.

Lady Jane Grey Primary School, Groby.

Lubenham All Saints Church of England Primary.

Manorfield Church of England, Stoney Stanton.

Manor High School, Oadby

Mountfields Lodge School, Loughborough.

Rothley Church of England Primary School.

Roundhill Community College, Thurmaston.

Seagrave Village Primary.

Swallowdale Primary & Community Centre, Melton.

Swithland St Leonard’s, Swithland.

The Grove Primary School, Melton.

The Hall School, Glenfield.

The Merton Primary School, Syston.

The Pastures Primary, Narborough.

Warren Hills Community Primary, Coalville.

Westfield Junior, Hinckley.

Whitwick St John The Baptist Primary, Whitwick, Coalville.

Wreake Valley Community College, Syston.

County schools partially shut:

All Saints Primary, Coalville.

Bosworth Community College, Desford.

Forest Way, Coalville.

Glen Hills Primary, Glen Parva.

Hallbrook Primary, Broughton Astley.

Hind Leys Community College, Shepshed.

Holywell Primary, Loughborough.

Houghton On The Hill Primary.

Hugglescote Community Primary, Hugglescote, Coalville.

Newcroft Primary, Shepshed.

Parkland Primary, South Wigston.

Red Hill Field Primary, Narborough.

Saint Clare’s Catholic Primary, Coalville.

Saint Winefride’s Catholic Primary, Shepshed.

South Charnwood High School, Markfield.

St Margaret’s Church of England, Stoke Golding.

St Peter’s Church of England Primary, Whetstone.

Weavers Close Church of England Primary, Earl Shilton.

Whetstone Badgerbrook Primary School.