Teaching staff at academy schools strike over cuts

Staff at schools run by a multi-academy trust are to strike over planned subject cuts and redundancies.

Initio Learning Trust, which runs 19 schools in Dorset, is restructuring Queen Elizabeth's (QE) School in Wimborne and Corfe Hills School in Corfe Mullen.

The plans have sparked protests, been raised in Parliament, and a Parliamentary petition has so far gathered more than 2,000 signatures.

A letter to parents said three days of strike action by members of the Teachers' Union NASUWT were scheduled for 30 April, 1 May and 7 May. The trust said it was disappointed but respected the individual decisions of staff.

The National Education Union (NEU) said it had also balloted members and would be "naming our own strike days very shortly".

The NASUWT has been asked for a comment.

Parents of QE pupils have been told it will "most likely" be years 9, 10 and 12 to be the first affected by any closures.

Head teacher Thomas Neil said in a letter: "This is because priority is given to children who are about to sit their exams.

"A final decision about year group closures on 30 April will be communicated to you by 5pm on Friday 24 April 2026."

An Initio spokesperson said: "We remain focused to working with unions to resolve this situation and are disappointed to see that strike action is continuing to go ahead, although we respect the individual decisions of every member of staff.

"Our aim is to minimise disruption to student exams and learning and we will continue to put plans in place to support our school operations.

"We will continue to support the small number of staff affected during this time."

Parents and politicians have raised concerns that Initio is cutting staff and subjects while charging schools large sums for its executive pay and centralised services.

Mid Dorset and North Poole MP Vikki Slade has also called for an independent investigation into the trust's finances and governance.

About 2,000 people have so far signed the petition, launched by parents' group Stand Up For Dorset Schools, calling for a value-for-money review of academy trusts, powers for local authorities to intervene over failing schools, a cap on chief executive pay and independent oversight of contracts.