St Ivo Academy staff to strike over 'draconian' school policy

Pupils at St Ivo Academy are told to be silent "in all corridors, at all times", the union said

Members of a teachers' union are to strike at a school which it says has a "draconian" outlook on education.

NASUWT members will hold a lunchtime walkout on 12 September at St Ivo Academy in Cambridgeshire and plan further strike action.

Mark Burns, union executive, said the school had "a 1950s inspired behaviour policy".

Astrea Academy Trust said: "We continue to work hard to avoid any disruption to students' education."

Union members listed a number of concerns they had with the school's behaviour policy, which included "pupils must be silent in all corridors at all times".

They claim not to have professional autonomy when it comes to the style of teaching, the layout of classrooms and core routines.

Mr Burns said classrooms had to be "laid out in rows and not in a horseshoe or a circle", and added the layout went "as far as having this in drama [lessons]".

"We want teachers to have the freedom to teach how they want," Mr Burns said.

"There are a wide range of teaching styles that can be very effective."

In March, a parents' forum wrote a letter of complaint to the school over what it called its "punishment-focused" disciplinary methods.

Union members are scheduled to go on strike on 10 October, 1 and 2 November and 7, 8, 9 November

A spokesperson for Astrea Academy Trust said: "We are keen to engage with NASUWT and, having taken up post on 1 September, our new principal Tony Meneaugh has already reached out to invite regional representatives to meet with him."

Over the summer the school issued a number of changes that affected areas of school life, such as "a new structure to the school day and increased tutorial and lunch times".

The trust added: "It is in nobody's interest for there to be industrial action of any kind, and we are confident that given we share so many objectives on workload and behaviour improvements that we can find a way forward for positive and constructive engagement with the NASUWT."

Union members are scheduled to go on strike on 10 October, 1 and 2 November and 7, 8, 9 November.

There will also be an Action Short of Strike Action starting on 12 September which includes NASUWT teachers not supervising pupils at lunchtime.