Parents back school strike 'for as long as it takes'

Parents of children studying at schools run by a multi-academy trust have said they will back striking teachers for "as long as it takes".

Staff at Queen Elizabeth's (QE) School in Wimborne and Corfe Hills School in Broadstone walked out over proposed cuts to teaching staff and subjects by Initio Learning Trust.

The teachers' union NASUWT says negotiations have stalled because Initio "is not prepared to compromise and won't engage fully in a dialogue".

An Initio spokesperson said: "Our priority throughout has been to work constructively towards a resolution that supports staff, while ensuring that students continue to receive the best possible education and care."

Sarah, whose daughter studies at QE, said: "Obviously, it's really disruptive for the kids.

"Being off school as well, it's really hard to manage as a parent working full-time, but you really feel for the teachers so we are really supportive of the action."

Speaking on BBC Radio Solent's Dorset breakfast show, she said the "crux" of the problem was the trust's management of the school.

"The money that the trust is taking up and the funds that are needed to run the trust, ultimately that's taking money away from the school and away from our children and the teaching," she said.

James, whose son goes to QE, said: "The school had a 'requires improvement' judgement in 2023 and you'd think, in a normal environment, they would be investing in the school to try and improve that, whereas now they are facing cuts, which just seems ludicrous, so we are all 100% behind the teachers."

When asked how long parents could live with strike action, he said: "For as long as it takes - short-term disruption is a lot easier to deal with than the effect of losing experienced, committed teachers because Initio trust won't treat them properly."

Mike Leigh, from NASUWT, said: "Multi-academy trusts seem to haemorrhage money at the top and it doesn't go where it's needed."

Describing negotiations with Initio, he said: "We are not getting anything back from them that's positive.

"The key thing that we asked [was] can you pause the proceedings, pause the redundancy, pause the restructure. [They said] 'no'."

Initio Learning Trust, which runs 19 schools in Dorset, said in a statement: "We have made significant progress and agreed improvements with the support of our staff and in consultation with unions.

"We remain committed to maintaining open and constructive dialogue with both our staff and unions involved.

"The outcomes of the recent consultation remain ongoing with a small number of staff, and we continue to support them throughout the process.

"Our focus remains on careful planning and minimising disruption wherever possible for our whole school community."