Gordon Brown is facing the prospect of the first national teachers’ strike for 20 years in a damaging row over pay.

The National Union of Teachers announced it is to ballot members on a one-day walk-out that could hit schools across England and Wales on April 24.

NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott he was “very confident” that teachers would vote in favour of industrial action.

He said: “I would urge them to vote ’yes’.”

The NUT’s decision to ballot members follows a long-running row over pay.

Last week, the Government announced a 2.45% pay rise for teachers in England and Wales this year, with further rises of 2.3% in 2009 and 2010.

But the NUT said the increases fell below the Retail Prices Index inflation rate of 4%, meaning staff faced an effective cut in their pay.

Mr Sinnott said he was scheduled to meet with Schools Minister Jim Knight and urged the Government to improve its offer.

He said the union wanted a 4% rise for members, adding that the ballot papers would be sent out at the end of February.

“During the last 30 years our schools have suffered from ’boom and bust’ pay policies,” he said.

“Teachers’ pay has improved in recent years and so too has recruitment and retention. There must be no return to teacher shortages and to pay levels that sap morale.

“To bring the best young graduates into the profession, teachers’ salaries need to be competitive with those for graduates in the private sector.

“Our children deserve the best.

“I call on the Government to think again and ensure that teachers’ salaries at least keep pay in line with inflation.”

The NUT has not taken members out on a national strike since 1987.

But Mr Sinnott said he believed teachers would back the union’s call for industrial action.

“I would be very confident that teachers would be saying ’yes’ because of the objective to protect their living standards.

“The objective is not the strike. The objective is to protect living standards for teachers.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: “We are disappointed by the NUT’s decision to ballot their members, which can only achieve disruption to children’s learning.

“As teachers and NUT members see the details of the award we think they will agree it is fair and responsible in the current economic climate.

“The 2.45% award for teachers, recommended to us by the independent pay review body, is above the current Consumer Prices Index inflation rate and the Government’s inflation target.

“Everybody understands, including teachers, that we need to have a firm control of public sector pay in order to keep inflation low, mortgage rates low and the economy stable.”