Nine-day teacher strike across 20 schools

Teachers at a trust that runs schools across the West Midlands have voted to go on strike over nine days in January.

In a letter to parents and carers, CEO of The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership Richard Gill said The National Education Union (NEU) confirmed on 18 December its members would strike over the prospect of compulsory redundancies.

Of 24 schools run by the trust in Birmingham, Coventry and Staffordshire, four would not be affected, Gill wrote.

The strikes are planned from 14-15, 20-22 and 26-29 January, he said, and would lead to "a level of disruption".

The NEU has been approached by the BBC for comment.

The trust is based at The Arthur Terry School in Sutton Coldfield, which it also runs.

Gill wrote the action was as a result it being unable to provide assurances it would not make "any compulsory redundancies within the next three years which as a result could have a detrimental impact on workload for its members".

"It is regrettable that the union have reached this decision," he wrote. "We have made efforts to work with colleagues from the NEU to avoid strike action and will continue to do so."

In a post on its website, the trust said the need to reduce staff numbers was the result of "significant overstaffing", which had been masked by an accounting error in 2022-23, and denied the "central team" was facing cuts.

It added final plans were yet to be consulted on and to suggest proposed changes would lead to increased workload for staff was "misleading".

Schools that could be affected by strike action are:

• Anna Seward Primary, Lichfield
• Coton Green Primary, Tamworth
• Curdworth Primary, Sutton Coldfield
• Deykin Avenue Junior and Infant, Witton, Birmingham
• Hill West Primary, Sutton Coldfield
• Mere Green Primary, Four Oaks
• Osborne Primary, Erdington, Birmingham
• Paget Primary, Pype Hayes, Birmingham
• Scotch Orchard Primary, Lichfield
• Slade Primary, Erdington
• St Chad's CE Primary, Lichfield
• St Michael's C of E Primary, Lichfield
• William MacGregor Primary School, Tamworth
• Two Gates Primary School, Tamworth
• The Coleshill School, Warwickshire
• The Royal Sutton School, Sutton Coldfield
• Nether Stowe School, Lichfield, Staffordshire
• Stockland Green School, Erdington, Birmingham
• The Arthur Terry School, Sutton Coldfield
• West Coventry Academy, Coventry

Schools not affected are The Bridge Academy Lichfield, Greysbrooke Primary in Shenstone, Brookvale Primary in Erdington and Dunstall Park Primary, Tamworth, Gill confirmed in his letter.

Gill added the trust had approached reconciliation service Acas to seek a resolution but acknowledged face-to-face education for all pupils could be compromised.

An Arthur Terry school parent, who wanted to stay anonymous, said they were "extremely concerned" about the effect on their son's education.

"My son is in Year 11 and it is a very important year for him. It is so disappointing that they are not putting the educational needs of the children first," they said.

MP for Lichfield Dave Robertson said he would be encouraging both sides to get together to avoid industrial action.

He raised the issue in the Commons last October, when the trust wrote to staff inviting applications for voluntary redundancies, "suggesting compulsory redundancies would follow".

Robertson also told MPs the trust was bailed out by the Department for Education last year.

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