STAFF at schools’ inspectorate Ofsted are set to strike for 12 days as part of long-running national Civil Service walkouts over pay, pensions and conditions, their union announced today.

The Public and Commercial Services union said members providing administration support for inspectors will down tools at offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Nottingham on intermittent dates between March 6 and 29.

The walkouts are also expected to affect the processing of applications for new childminders and early nurseries as well as handling queries from the public, the union warned.