TORY ministers have been forced to agree to “intensive talks” on plummeting take-home teacher pay and crippling workloads following the latest round of strikes, education unions announced today.

The discussions, which are set to continue over the weekend, will be met with a “period of calm for two weeks” with no further strike dates announced, both sides said in a joint statement.

It follows the breakthrough in the NHS dispute on Thursday, with leaders of nurses, ambulance crews and other health workers in England agreeing to suspend further walkouts while ballots are held on a new wage offer.